Healing Holiday
by warorpeace
Summary: Sequel to Spiced Gold's story 'Sunshine'. After a laborous process of reconnecting with her sister, including dealing with Benedict, Anna is more than overjoyed as Elsa has finally agreed to go have a holiday with her. However, things quickly turn upside down as Elsa's plan for their holiday is crushed.
1. Chapter 1

_**AN: Hello, and welcome to Healing Holiday. The first few chapters are credited to Spiced Gold, the author of the two stories that happens before this one. I hope you all enjoy.**_

 _ **Also while this story will feature Corona characters I am keeping it on the frozen fandom since they are not the protagonists.**_

 _ **I hope you all enjoy.**_

 _ **For those who follow me and haven't read the other stories, I am putting below a link to them. I also highly recommend them, as she is a brilliant author, and have inspired part of my writing on HTLIG:**_

 __ ** _s/10800031/1/Opening-the-Doors the first one in this trilogy_**

 ** _s/10883557/1/Sunshine the second in this trilogy_**

 _ **Without further ado:**_

The cool breeze was delightful, causing the branches above Anna to sway gently, the leaves murmuring a tune. She reclined against the base of the tree, one arm resting on the smooth brown stone set into the ground there, the other wrapped around a small white shape.

The shape proved to be a snowy reindeer calf, with ice blue eyes and shiny hard hooves, his body cool and soft. He was leaning into her side, perfectly still and content. Anna smiled. "So, Bae, we should probably go inside and interrupt Elsa."

Bae blinked at her, a smile on his white lips, and that made Anna grin, because Elsa and the calf were linked. If Bae was smiling and peaceful, there was no reason to worry over Elsa. And Anna did worry.

Elsa had had a rough few weeks not long ago, and Anna made sure to check on her frequently, largely for her own peace of mind.

It had not been an easy road for either sister to travel. Elsa had been shut into her own mind and inhibitions, and hadn't even realised how much her withdrawal was hurting Anna. And since hurting Anna was one thing that Elsa feared, once this was pointed out to her she felt even worse. And whilst Anna loved her sister with all her heart, being Elsa's emotional pillar was exhausting at times. They had settled into a comfortable routine, and by now Anna knew Elsa's moods well enough to spot a problem before it happened.

But there were some days when trying to put on a brave face, and telling Elsa, _again_ , that everything was fine and she was still here, that Anna felt like she needed a break as well. That was why she was outside with Bae, spending some time with the deer without pressure or worrying what time it was and what she needed to do.

Elsa liked to work in the mornings, and get things out of the way. It gave her a sense of control over the day, and sometimes that need for control made Anna nervous – little things bothered Elsa more than they should, changes in routine could upset her for days – but it kept Elsa calmer.

Anna liked to spend the mornings doing absolutely nothing constructive, and then work a little in the afternoons (they had started splitting Elsa's work between them whenever possible, since Anna liked being needed and Elsa couldn't manage everything alone) and the evenings.

Now, the sun was reaching its highest point, which meant, first off, that Bae needed to come inside. The snow deer generally kept himself cool enough, Elsa's powers had been developed enough for her to allow him to remain solid without a flurry, but during the heat of the day, he needed to be kept out of the sun.

"Come on, Bae," Anna called, getting to her feet. "You've got to come inside now, and I've got to check on Elsa."

Bae sprang to his feet, still gazing up at her with those endless blue eyes that were, when the light hit them just right, the exact same shade as Elsa's eyes. Anna went inside to seek Elsa out, and found the Queen in her study, surrounded by papers and books.

"Elsa?"

Elsa looked up, swiftly, her mind immediately wondering if something was wrong, if she had missed something, but when she saw Anna standing the doorway, a fraction of the tension left her. But it took a while, of careful observation, before Elsa allowed herself to smile. "Hi."

"I've brought Bae inside, so I was just checking on you."

There was an involuntary clenching of one of Elsa's hands, the same arm with the two fading white scars on it, then, she nodded stiffly. "I'm fine."

"Good. You look busy."

"I'm just thinking. Planning." Elsa ran a hand through her hair. It was something she often did when overwhelmed, and it made Anna slightly nervous.

What could be bothering Elsa?

"Is something wrong?" Anna ventured.

Elsa shook her head. "No. Nothing's wrong. I just need to get this done."

"Can I help?"

"I'm almost done. I'll tell you at dinner."

That was a promise, both that she would share this mysterious problem with Anna and that she would be at dinner, because on some days Elsa longed to lock the door of her study and just sit on the floor and cry. Some days she avoided Anna at meal times, and avoided meals with even more zeal. Some days she couldn't eat, and couldn't sleep. But now that there were no more locked doors between them, those days, with snow falling from the ceiling and ice creeping up the walls, were growing less frequent.

"You'll be okay, on your own, until dinner?" Anna enquired, because she knew when Elsa was uncertain about life, when things were overwhelming. She recognised the signs of impending panic, she knew when Elsa wanted to shut off the world and just forget everything, even for a little while.

And she knew the tell-tale twitch of Elsa's fingers, drawing attention to the scars on her arm, which told Anna that something was weighing her sister down.

But Elsa drew in a deep breath, nodded, and said surely, "I'll be fine."

Things were sometimes delicate between them – because Elsa had spent so long hiding behind a façade of calm control that showing Anna what she really felt made her vulnerable, made her feel exposed. Sometimes Anna pushed too much, and she knew she had to be careful because Elsa was oh so breakable, and so it was that the two of them often found themselves at an impasse – neither one wanting to give or take too much from the other.

Anna didn't press the matter, because Bae was still standing serenely at her feet, and however forced it might have been Elsa had still managed a smile. There was no need to panic, just yet.

"So, I see you at dinner then?" Anna gingerly spoke, as if expecting Elsa to suddenly break down, or regret her promise. It saddened Elsa that her sister often expected her to derail, as if she was a complete emotional wreck.

But she couldn't exactly blame her sister. The scars on her wrists were more than enough proof that Elsa had indeed ended up worse than Anna's worst expectations. She nodded, keeping her smile, and hoping that Bae would not pick up on the dampening of her mood.

Thankfully he did not, as Anna turned around and left the office. Elsa sighed and looked down at the paperwork she was going through so she could allow herself to take a break with her dear sister. _It is worth it. Anna is worth this and so much more_. It was this kind of thought that kept her going when everything else seemed to want her to crumble or fail.

 _Now I only need to figure how I'll tell her about my plans for our holiday_. Because Elsa knew very well how sometimes she didn't pick the best words, and she didn't want to freak Anna out for nothing.

 _Easier said than done. Everything now a days feels like Anna is treating me like walking on thin ice_. Despite her attempt at focusing on her work instead of on this thought it made her heart break a little more.

She could only hope that her conversation with her sister would go better than her current attempt at working. Elsa glanced at the clock, and it made her breath hitch in her throat. _Well, I guess I will find out soon enough_.

It was dinner time.

"Anna." Elsa broke the silence at dinner, staring hard at the table. She had been eating doggedly, as though it was the most tiresome task she had had to attend to all day, and now seemed somewhat relieved that she could put off eating in favour of studying the décor.

"Is something wrong?" Anna tried hard not to sound panicked, but history suggested that whenever Elsa was unsettled, the worst should be assumed.

There was a brief flicker of something in Elsa's eyes – perhaps sadness that Anna assumed the worst about her, but she knew she had only herself to blame for that – before she tamped it down and pasted a neutral expression on her face. "No. Nothing's wrong."

"Oh, good." Anna let out a sigh of relief. She offered a tentative smile, "So, what's up?"

"I made a promise."

Anna waited patiently for the rest of the explanation. Elsa was clearly warring with some very conflicting thoughts and emotions, clenching and unclenching her hand, the little crease between her eyebrows growing deeper every second.

"Things have been hard for me lately, but I know you're there, whenever I need you." Elsa glanced briefly at Anna, then away again. "And you put up with me, on the days when I'm not myself or I'm having doubts. And you know I promised you we'd spend some time together. Just the two of us."

Anna's face lit up. "The holiday?" Elsa had promised that they would take a holiday together, to spend time together with no pressure and no worries and no responsibilities.

"Yes. I've put aside two weeks. We can-"

"Let's go to Corona!" Anna blurted out, bouncing up and down in her seat. "Please, please, please!"

"What?" Elsa asked faintly, because she had not been expecting that. She felt the world narrow, the dinner that she had actually eaten very nearly made an appearance back onto the plate.

"We've got family there, we can go and visit." Anna beamed. "And they said we could visit anytime in the last letter, right? It'll be amazing, and anyway, I've never left Arendelle, can we _please_ go?" Anna switched to begging, because the look on Elsa's face was definitely not matching her enthusiasm. "Please, please, _please_ , it's not far, and it's what I really want."

Bae picked up on her excitement, and leapt up from his spot on the floor, and started dashing around the table, leaving snowy footprints.

"It's only, like, a three day trip, and Councilman Benedict is fixing up all the things you asked for, it's not like you need to be here, and you've scheduled the time off anyway-"

She was still nattering on, while Elsa stared at her and had a brief, internal freak out over several things: getting on a ship seemed like the world's most insurmountable task. Then there was the idea of spending a week with strangers. There was her magic – what if it went out of control again? There was the thought of leaving Arendelle – her personal security blanket. There was the mortifying prospect of showing other people who she really was – the depressed Queen of Arendelle with two failed suicides under her belt and the scars to show for it.

The idea of going away was horrifying, to say the least.

Bae made a questioning sound. He was finely attuned to Elsa's emotional state, being created by her, and the difference in the sisters' reactions was confusing for him. One of them looked like the world was crashing down around her; the other looked as though the excitement might make her burst.

Elsa gulped. "Are you sure that's what you want? We could stay here." _Where it's safe_. "And just spend time together." _Where there are no other people._ Elsa had not considered that a 'holiday' would entail going away. She assumed it just meant time off. Her visions of spending days snuggled in bed reading with Anna flitted away, along with her self-assurance.

"This is going to be amazing!" Anna jumped out of her seat. "Thank you so much!"

Bae nudged her leg, cocking his head to one side at the snowflakes that were starting to fall around them. Anna paused in her mad dash around the table to give Elsa a hug. She flicked her eyes at the sudden snow, then to her sister. "Um . . . Elsa?"

"Corona?" Elsa swallowed hard. "I… you're sure you don't want to stay here?"

"It'll be okay," Anna said brightly, trying to stop Elsa from panicking. "It'll be fun. And safe." She tried to keep smiling, tried to keep the excited fire in her eyes lit. But she could feel Elsa's ice slowly putting a damper on her spirits. Elsa wouldn't allow this. She would never agree to this. It had been stupid to even ask.

Elsa saw the fire die in Anna's eyes, saw the smile falter, and her heart clenched. _Oh, god, she wants this. You owe her so much, has she ever asked for anything before? Don't break her heart._

"But it's quite short notice," Anna said, subdued, bringing her hands together and fiddling her fingers. "Probably wouldn't be able to get everything organised. Silly idea."

The vice around Elsa's heart and throat tightened slightly. She forced the snow to stop. "Anna."

"Hm?" Anna looked hopeful, daring to think that maybe . . .?

Elsa took a deep breath. And another. "If that's what you want . . . if you're sure . . . I . . ." Another deep breath, and Anna was going to explode from the anticipation. "We'll go to Corona."


	2. For Anna

_**Review response:**_

 _ **MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot: I'm very happy that you liked this first chapter. And Anna means well. She knows that going somewhere far from the castle, and its bad memories, would help both of them, if the trip might be rough.**_

 _ **Without further ado:**_

* * *

"We'll go to Corona."

Anna nearly knocked her over with the violence of her embrace. "Thankyouthankyouthankyou, I'll call Gerda so we can start packing up." Before Elsa could even open her mouth to tell Anna that, at the very least, they would be leaving on the next day her sister was already running off the Dining Hall in search of the poor maiden.

Elsa let out a shaky breath, making Bae coo at her with bemusement. She could already imagine Kai's face when she would tell him about going to Corona as a holiday instead of just taking a break-which was what she previously told him.

And she didn't even want to imagine how Benedict would react. "I am really going to regret this," she muttered.

~•~

Elsa almost closed her eyes when she told Benedict of her sudden change of plans-she refused to tell him it was her sister's plan, as it would not help her case. He took in a deep breath and looked at her dead in the eyes. "Of all the times that I presumed that Arendelle's Queen is only but a fool, I believe this is the closest you have gotten to proving that I am right."

Elsa cringed at the harsh words, and the harsher tone, despite desperately not wanting too. Her scars were itching, and she could feel Bae nudging her leg. She was glad that the calf was not with her sister, otherwise Anna would have barged through the door by now and Elsa, in mortification and anguish, would have crawled into a deep hole, to never come out.

She took in a deep breath. "I understand that . . . my timing could have been better, but that is my final decision. My sister and I are going to visit Corona for two weeks. We won't be officially in business there, but I believe this visit, which is technically a response to Princess Rapunzel's invite ought to improve the relationship between Arendelle and Corona."

Benedict sat on the chair in front of her, and, given how he was occasionally glancing around, he surely felt the room grow colder. "Have you forgotten what happened the last time two members of the royal family of Arendelle stepped into a ship, Queen Elsa?"

The room grew a few degrees colder, making him shudder. Elsa tightened her fingers into a fist. The scars were almost screaming at her, begging her to give them some friends. "I have not forgotten, Councilour Benedict," she said through gritted teeth. "And I would appreciate if you do not bring it up again."

 _Please, please just don't do it. I can't take much more_. It was but a miracle that was keeping her from snowing her office. "My decision is final and won't be swayed by whatever arguments you present. I summoned you so I could personally deliver you these news, and to appoint you temporarily as the head of the Council, until I return. I will have by the morrow all the paperwork filled, and the list of matters that should be brought to your attention while I am away."

Benedict pursued his lips and glared at Elsa in a subtle way. "Is there anything else you would like to inform me?"

Elsa shook her head, no longer trusting her voice to stay even. Her hands were shaking, and it was only through sheer will that she was keeping Bae from making noises; noises that certainly would draw more of Benedict's attention to her ill emotional state. "Very well," he said while standing up. "Now, if you excuse me Your Majesty I must work on my schedule to fit my . . . temporary position in it." The way he spoke sounded as if he intended on keeping that position permanent, making Elsa felt a chill run down her spine.

"You may leave," she said, mustering as much strength as she could to speak it with force. But, given the way he was looking at her, she might as well have sounded like a scared five years old telling her daddy that she saw a monster under her bed. He bowed and swiftly left the room. Not a second after that he leave Elsa picked Bae up and cradled him in her arms as snow gently fell inside her office. "This is for Anna, she deserves it," she whispered before gulping. "Why he has to be so mean?"

Bae cooed soothingly. "I know he means well. I just wish he was a bit more tactful about it."

Tears threatened to fall from her eyes but she stubbornly held them back. She hugged tight Bae against her chest, and didn't restrain the sigh that escaped her delicate lips as he cooed again, its vibration reverberating inside her chest and easing her up. "Thank you Bae, for understanding," she said while closing her eyes and leaning her hand on him.

 _Now I only have to survive boarding the ship._ That thought was enough to make her feel sick.

The ship looked very sturdy. The water was calm, the sky was a cloudless blue. It was as close to perfect as the weather was ever going to get.

Anna paused at the ship, for a moment shrouded in doubt. The last time someone in her family had stepped onto a ship, they hadn't stepped off again. Statistically, Anna knew she was pretty safe, but problems and doubts rear up whether one invites them or not. She hesitated, steeling her nerve.

But this was the chance of a lifetime – Anna didn't know if she would ever convince Elsa to get on a ship again, so this opportunity had to be seized now, with both hands, in case it flitted away. Anna bit her lip, and stepped boldly onto the ship.

There was a sense of relief at the top of the ramp, and the deck was solid and sturdy and, as of yet, not pitching underneath her. She turned breathlessly to face Kai. "I did it!"

Kai nodded, his face stony. He had been tight-lipped since the day Elsa told him they were going away, getting more and more wound up as the day approached. He had even given Anna a spontaneous hug this morning just before breakfast, which was unusual since he didn't make it a habit to grab hold of royalty at odd times. Anna chalked it up to nerves.

 _And speaking of nerves . . ._ she thought dryly. Elsa looked paler than usual, standing next to Kai with the back of one hand pressed against her mouth, visibly breathing.

"Are you okay?" Anna called down to her.

Elsa nodded, but didn't open her mouth. She had already thrown up three times that morning, and wasn't about to risk a fourth time in front of half of Arendelle. Her stomach was already doing flips, anticipating the ocean.

"You don't look okay," Anna said doubtfully. "Do you want me to come and get you?" Anna didn't wait for an answer. She trotted down the ramp again, and took Elsa's free hand.

It was cold.

"It's perfectly safe," Anna assured her, but she understood exactly where Elsa's anxiety stemmed from. She tamped down her own enthusiasm, because Elsa needed quiet encouragement and support, rather than bubbling exuberance. "Come on."

Elsa took a few steps forward, mostly dragged by Anna, then came to a rather abrupt halt. She turned wild blue eyes to Kai.

He unlinked his hands from behind his back. He was as nervous as Elsa, but he hid it better. He, too, had been in this position before, seeing off two members of the royal family and never seeing them return. And the last time the monarch of Arendelle had stood here, he had implored Kai to keep Elsa safe.

 _Please,_ he thought, to any and every deity listening, _don't make me a liar._ "It'll be alright."

Elsa swallowed thickly, and finally brought her hand away from her mouth. "I know."

"Keep safe."

"I will."

"Ready?" Anna asked, gently for once, because whether or not Elsa wanted to admit it this was a big step. This was putting them in the same situation that they had lost their parents in. This was asking Elsa to step out of her comfort zone and straight into a danger zone. There was no middle ground here.

"How did you convince me to do this?" Elsa asked, staring at the ramp, and gripping Anna's hand tight enough to bruise.

"I have no idea." Anna admitted. She took a small step forwards, and to her delight Elsa followed.

Bae called encouragingly from the deck.

"See? Bae's okay." Anna pointed out. "And if there was something wrong he would feel it."

"He's a reindeer, Anna. He has no sense of self-preservation." But despite Elsa's words, they were walking.

And then they were on the ship, and Anna let out a gust of breath, because she was just as tense as Elsa, only spurred onwards by the knowledge that in a day or two they would be in Corona, and that excited her enough to want to do this. "You okay?"

Elsa nodded, lips pressed tightly together, but she looked a bit green.

Kai was rigid, staring at them, and when Anna waved to hopefully put him at ease, he just nodded stiffly.

"We'll be fine," Anna called, squeezing Elsa's hand. "See you in two weeks."

There was a ricocheting sense of déjà vu that nearly had Elsa running off the ship.

"You better," Kai grumbled.

Anna forced a smile. She gripped Elsa, taking comfort from the fact that she was there. "Do you want to-" She didn't get a chance to finish.

Elsa pulled her hand free from her sister, took two steps to the side of the ship and leaned over the side and heaved. Anna grimaced slightly; she hadn't known Elsa was reacting this badly to the idea of a 'holiday'. It seemed a little counterproductive. Anna just went to Elsa's side, and gently lifted her braid so it hung down her back rather than over her shoulder.

"I thought you hadn't eaten anything," Anna said, rubbing a hand up and down Elsa's back to help alleviate some of the pressure as she heaved.

"I haven't." Elsa said. She hadn't eaten since lunch the previous day, and now she was quite glad for that. Although, it meant that her stomach was just heaving pathetically, and her ribs hurt, and she felt thoroughly miserable.

"So you're just throwing up air," Anna sympathized. She hesitated. "We don't have to do this."

"What?" Elsa looked at her sister for a moment, before another wave of nausea took over, and she continued hanging off the side of the ship.

"I don't want to do this if you're going to make yourself sick over it. This is supposed to be fun. It's meant to be you and me time."

"I'll be fine." The spasming of Elsa's body said otherwise.

"Don't punish yourself just for me."

"It's okay. I just . . ." She took a few deep, open mouthed breaths. "This will stop."

"You're going to hate me for doing this to you."

"I've done much worse to myself before." It was not exactly the comfort Anna was looking for, but it was currently all Elsa had to offer. She let out a groan, because everything hurt, and the ship hadn't even started moving yet.

It was probably not encouraging Kai either, to see Elsa dangling off the side of a ship in a vain attempt to puke her guts out, but there wasn't a whole lot either of them could do about that.

"Do you want to sit down?" Anna asked. "Maybe it'll help."

What would help would be to have both feet on the ground, in Arendelle, but Elsa owed Anna so much, and she wanted her sister to be happy. Anna didn't look very happy now. Elsa sighed. "Okay. I'm fine now."

"Are you sure? You haven't thrown up all your organs yet."

"Please stop talking."

Anna grinned. "That sounds more like you." She patted Elsa again. "Let's go sit down."

"Can we . . ." Elsa hesitated, her grip on the side of the ship was turning the wood a frosty white. "Can we stay here for a bit longer?" _In case I need to throw up my stomach again._

"Yeah." Anna came to Elsa's side, resting both elbows on the side of the ship and looking out to the sea. Her heart raced, but the feeling was not altogether unpleasant. She was excited; she couldn't help the grin that kept spreading across her face.

Bae sat down at her feet, and made a pitiful sound.

"You okay, boy?" Anna glanced down at him, before she heard more discouraging retching sounds to her other side. She laid her hand on Elsa's back again. "Yikes, Elsa, are you going to be okay? You can't spend three days hanging off the side of the ship, you know?"

"I'm fine. I can handle this." Elsa squeezed her eyes closed, taking in uneven breaths. "Can we just go?" _Before I lose my nerve completely_. It was taking all her tenuous will power not to run off this ship as fast as she could, lock herself in her room and never come out again.

It was not a relief when the ship began moving…


	3. Just a Burden

_**AN: Last chapter with what Spiced Gold wrote, and my writing begins. I wonder how many of you guys can spot where the writing changes.**_

 _ **A shorter chapter than the previous two. I'll update sooner however. Without further ado:**_

* * *

It was not a relief when the ship began moving – Elsa's head spun, her legs wobbled, and most of the first hour she spent puking up nothing with Anna standing worriedly at her side. Then she felt the familiar licks of panic – a pounding in her eyes, a red hot twist in her stomach, the ice dragging under her skin. Her magic scratched against her, trying to break out from the inside. She wasn't going to break down in front of everyone – certainly not within an hour of leaving Arendelle.

"Need to go inside," she rasped out, not daring to reach towards Anna in case she bolted ice, but desperately hoping that Anna would understand and maybe, please, just hold her and guide her. She was vaguely aware that Bae was jumping up and down, butting Anna and kicking out restlessly.

"Okay." Anna sounded soothing. Her skin was blazing hot when she took Elsa by the wrist, or maybe Elsa was just too cold.

Either way, she tamped down the fighting ice, letting herself be more or less dragged towards the cabins – her legs were shaking, she didn't know how she was staying upright at all, and the whole world was swirling around her, up was down and left was right and she only stumbled once.

She had no idea how long it took to reach the cabin, it felt like an eternity, and by the time she heard Anna click the door shut, finally giving them some privacy, the ice was screaming under her skin and trying to rip its way out of her.

Anna locked the door then moved to the window, staring out it for a mesmerizing moment, then back at Elsa.

The young Queen slumped against the wall, eyes closed and hands visibly shaking.

"Elsa?" Anna didn't go closer – she had seen this happen enough to know better.

Elsa slid down, leaving a trail of angry pointed ice, until her legs gave out completely and she landed on her knees, doubling over with a gasp as the ice finally became too much. It spiked out around her, jutting from the walls and floors, forming deadly blades in Elsa's panic.

Her stomach was still twisting. Her mind was twisting even more, with a dozen thoughts and fears snaking through the ice in her veins and making everything worse. What if the ship sank? What if she panicked and sent a bolt of ice straight through it?

At that unnerving thought, her ice subconsciously cracked into the floor, making a tiny spilt in the wood, but to Elsa it may as well have broken the ship in half. She jerked her hands back, pulling them tightly to her chest, and she could feel tears of agonising helplessness trickle off her face.

"Elsa!"

It took longer than it should have to realise that Anna was speaking, the ice and panic were blocking out the rest of the world, trapping her in a tiny cage of terror. She looked up, suddenly realising that she was shaking and the ice was spreading.

"Elsa, I'm gonna tell them to turn around." Anna said, clearly and firmly, because a frigid wind was starting to pick up inside the cabin. "You can't do this yourself. We're going home."

"No!" She tried to sound forceful, and in charge. A spike of ice cracked through the floor, splitting the wood apart, and Elsa's heart hitched, more fear flooding through an already hyped body. They couldn't turn back now. Anna needed this.

"You're going to break the ship apart," Anna said, eying the two cracks in the floor. "Elsa, it's not worth it if you're going to be like this. I can't watch you do this."

"Then don't look," Elsa groaned. "Because we are doing this. I _owe_ you this. I owe you everything. We are _not_ turning back."

"Can you really do this for three days?" Anna said, looking at her sister on her knees and struggling to breathe, trying to make her see sense.

Elsa managed a half-hearted smile that did not reach her eyes. "I've been doing this for years. What's a few more days?"

She excused herself as soon as she could, intent on explaining herself to Elsa, trying to ease the sting of her words.

"Elsa?" Anna knocked gently on the door. "Can I come in?"

There was no answer, but Anna had expected that. If Elsa didn't want company, she always said no. No answer was tantamount to a yes.

Anna opened the door slowly, and was slightly surprised to see that there was not a speck of ice anywhere in the room. "Hey. I thought I'd have to stop you from making snow."

Elsa sighed from her spot by the window. "Yeah, well, turns out that I don't need constant supervision, I can actually cope day to day on my own."

Anna winced, and brought her fingers together, fiddling them. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."

"Yes, you did." _You meant that I'm a burden, that I'm something you have to carry with you wherever you go. I'm the shadow in your sunshine._

"Okay, maybe I did. But not like that," Anna came closer. "Elsa . . . look, I love you. But . . . I know you don't like to talk about it, but your feelings don't only affect you."

Elsa raised pained, blue eyes to her sister.

"Okay, so, it's like this. You've got me. And all your problems, all your feelings, you talk to me about it. You share it with me, and I help you." Anna paused. "But . . . But I don't have anyone."

A white hot flash of pain ran through Elsa's chest, but before she could over react, Anna was talking again.

"I know I have you. You're the most important thing in my life. And we talk all the time, I know, but there's no one for me to tell _my_ problems to." She wouldn't admit it, she probably hadn't even acknowledged it, but being with Elsa was emotionally draining. There were times of complete fear that Elsa would do something to herself, and while Anna's outer shell was harder, brighter, than Elsa's, it was still just a shell, and she was hiding a fragile inside. She had no one to share the burden of Elsa with. There was Kristoff, of course, but Anna was adventurous and electric and what she needed was a change of scenery.

"You need a break. From me." Elsa said quietly. "You want someone in your life who . . . isn't always depressed, and bringing you down. Someone who makes you forget all the fear."

"Yeah," Anna answered tentatively, not sure if agreeing with Elsa was a good or bad thing. "It's not that I don't want to be around you, I just . . . It's hard, sometimes."

Elsa pressed her lips together.

"Elsa?" Anna sounded small, uncertain.

Elsa glanced at her, eyes flicking up and down, then she turned her grim expression back to the window. There was a slightly set tense to her shoulders, and after a moment she sighed. "It's not your fault. I know that."

"Yeah, but it still bothers you." Anna edged a little bit closer. "I won't stay longer. I'll come home with you."

Elsa did not look as happy with that answer as Anna thought she would. "But then it's just like you _have_ to come home because of me."

"You want someone like cousin Rapunzel… cheerful, joyful and happy, don't you?" Elsa asked without looking at Anna, although the younger sister didn't need to. She could see her sister's reflection on the glass, and by the looks of it the grim expression Elsa had was still there.

Anna hesitated to answer. She, in fact, wanted someone like Rapunzel, someone to laugh together, to joke just like she and Elsa used to be before the isolation. But, on the other hand, she didn't want that her sister would add another burden to her shoulders; she already carried more than what she could endure.

The scars on her wrists were proof of that.

"I love you Elsa…" Anna spoke with far less resolution than she wanted to, "And I wouldn't trade you for anyone else. But just like sometimes you talk to me about your problems because you can't handle them, sometimes I feel I can't handle them too. I… I don't know…"

"It's okay…" her sister said, "Nobody said you had to endure me all the time. You want some time for yourself, time to laugh, to joke, to play, to be free of this pain…" _to be free of fear, free of this burden…_ "…and you'll have that. I'll stay as long as you want… that way you get to enjoy our cousin's company, and you get to return to Arendelle with me."

Elsa spoke softly, but Anna knew that her sister was set on this idea. And Anna also knew that if Elsa was set on something, there was no turning back. She quietly sighed, but didn't know whether Elsa heard her sigh or not because her sister's eyes were fixed on the window, looking at the vastness of the ocean surrounding them.

She opened her mouth to speak, to disagree with Elsa, to tell her sister that she didn't need to stay longer in Corona, away from her comfort zone just to make Anna happy, to say that it wouldn't be fair of her part to make Elsa endure another burden when she spent the past 13 years doing this.

But no words escaped her mouth. She felt that her progress in reading Elsa simply vanished this moment. She couldn't tell if Elsa was happy that her sister would get some free time, or terrified that she would be longer away from her comfort zone, in a trip that she had not planned.

Quietly, Anna closed her mouth, and before leaving the room she spoke up, her voice small and lacking her usual confidence. "I'll come back later… to… bring you something to eat…" she said before closing the door.

Only after Elsa heard the door closing that her eyes pried away from the window to look at where Anna had been. The hot burning pain in her chest flared like the Sun during Summer, and her eyes were brightened, unshed tears begging to be freed. She had not realized, until Anna said it, how it hurts to be a burden to someone.

"Oh Anna…" she spoke with her voice full of regret, "This isn't anymore a timeout to both of us from everything else… I'm afraid this is a timeout to you from me…" her voice creaked, and she bit back a sniff while turning her head to look toward the window, where the calm ocean both soothed and terrified her.

"My depression is poisonous… it kills happiness… joy… even hope… You deserve to be happy far more than I do. And now that we are away from the castle, from politics, from the crown, you can be. I endured 13 years not having a comfort zone, I can endure a few days… it is worth, if it means I'll see you smiling…"

Unbeknownst to Elsa Anna was with her ear pressed on the door, and heard everything…


	4. Baby Steps

_**AN: MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot: Sorry for the delay. This was supposed to be up a week or two ago. I got caught up with reports and presentations due for this past week. This one is slightly longer than the previous chapters, so i hope I'm making up for the delay. I hope you enjoy it. It's always nice to read your reviews**_

 _ **Without further ado:**_

* * *

Her armpits were resting on the rail of the ship. A cool breeze washed through her, and the sky was blue and cloudless as far as the eye could see, betraying any fears that they might have to face a storm like the one the late King Agdar and Queen Idun did.

Anna sighed, suddenly feeling annoyed at herself for not bringing Kristoff with them, even though it was supposed to be a holiday only for her and Elsa. "What a way to go Anna… as if Elsa didn't have enough problems you managed to make her feel guilty for burdening you."

The deck was mostly empty, save for a few sailors keeping the ship running its course correctly and smoothly. They could clearly hear their Princess despite the whistling wind, but they knew better than to pry on the Royals' affairs. They were aware of how delicate the relationship between the sisters was, and how both were struggling to contain their fear of sea-voyages.

None of them forgot how the last King and Queen had died.

Bae, ever at her side, nudged her leg, making Anna pry away her eyes from the vast ocean to look at the snow caf. She couldn't pinpoint if the small reindeer was nudging her because something was wrong with Elsa, or because he could pick up that she was not feeling well. Despite the cloudless sky and the sun shining proudly Anna wasn't worried that Bae would melt. The air was cool, even chilly, and the sunrays were doing little to keep her warm.

Sometimes she envied how Elsa never felt cold.

"What do I do Bae? The few times I open up with her it seems that I do more harm than good." A sigh involuntarily escaped her lips while her eyes looked back at the ocean, gazing with hidden fear, yet also with wonder at the vastness surrounding her. Despite her fear Anna couldn't help but see it with wonder; being coped up in the castle left her eager to travel to anywhere, even travelling by ship.

"Sometimes I feel the progress I have had so far in reading her was all an illusion, was all in vain. Sometimes I simply don't know if she is unknowingly closing herself from me, or if she is doing on purpose." Bae cooed, showing to Anna that he was indeed listening to her. She smiled, even though she knew the small reindeer had no way to answer back with words.

Her belly growled, a sign that it was ready to feast. Anna blushed slightly, and actually looked behind her shoulders to see if any of the sailors had heard it, since, to her, it had been very loud. "Let's go inside Bae. I should fetch something to eat, and bring Elsa some food." Then she added quietly, "I just hope she'll eat something, even if it just an apple."

"Hey…" Anna quietly and slowly opened the door, "I brought you some food. Fruits, to be precise. One of the sailors said it was good for seasickness." Elsa looked slightly palter than normal, though Anna didn't know why. It could be either because of the prospect of eating, or a sign that her seasickness was still raging on.

There was no ice inside the room though, which meant that whatever was upsetting her sister wasn't strongly bothering her.

Anna would have considered that Elsa was coping up more strongly than usual if it were, had they not been inside a ship, floating on the ocean.

"Here," Anna said while sitting next to Elsa. She didn't touch her sister, but could feel her radiating cold. It worried her a little, but Bae wasn't freaking out, which meant she had not to worry, not yet at least. "Have an apple. The captain said it would be good for you." She stretched her arm, putting the apple close enough to Elsa that she wouldn't even need to stretch out to grab it.

Her body tensed, and she was all too aware of her stomach twisting in displeasure at the thought of eating something, even if it was just an apple. But, she could see the worry burdening Anna, and just like she was coping with this trip, she decided to cope with her stomach's displeasure to make her sister feel better.

Despite being cold, the apple felt cold on her hand. Despite light, it felt as heavy as an anchor. Despite its sweetness, it felt bitter when she bit it. Despite being small her bite, it felt like she swallowed the entire fruit. Despite being supposed to make her feel better, she could almost feel worse.

But, despite all of the agony she felt in eating the fruit, the smile that washed through Anna's face for a moment made her feel like all the agony she went through was worth it…

A day has passed, and she was a day due in speaking with Anna. They had to talk about her being a burden, and Anna feeling guilty for making her feel guilty for being a burden.

But whenever she saw her sister, any small courage she mustered to talk about it vanished.

They didn't spend much time around each other. Despite also being afraid of sea-voyages Anna liked to spend some time hanging on the rails of the ship, gazing at the ocean, at the blue sky, feeling the salty, cold breeze wash through her.

She also found it soothing, and it felt good. It eased her mind, and gave her courage to look after her sister.

She would often come with fruits. Elsa didn't know how many apples they had brought, but she had a small suspicious that Kai asked the captain what kind of food was good for seasickness, before stuffing the ship with it.

All Elsa knew was that, every hour or so, Anna would come to her room, carrying a trail holding fruits with her. She would hand out an apple, and eat with Elsa. At first she ate the apples to make Anna smile, ignoring how agonizing the process was. But, after the sixth time, Elsa actually started to enjoy the apples. They were sweet, just like her sister.

However, she still didn't have enough courage to go the deck, to gaze at the ocean with her sister. She barely had the courage to sleep.

Anna must have noticed that, because, one of the times they were eating together, she pointed out to her that she needed to rest. Her sister even offered to sing a lullaby-amazingly she had a beautiful singing voice, another thing Elsa only found out by accident sadly-to soothe her into sleeping.

She declined though. She was afraid that a nightmare would plague her sleep, and thus make the ice escape. If Anna was with her, then there was the risk her sister could get hurt by the ice.

She was enough of a burden to Anna. She didn't need to injure her sister physically too.

"I wish Kristoff was here. He would know what to say," she whispered to the wind, even though she knew it was likely untrue what she just said. Kristoff wouldn't know how to convince Elsa to sleep, and even less would comment on such subject. Even though he and Elsa were somewhat friends, Anna knew he, most of the times, would steer away from getting involved with the delicacies of their fragile relationship.

She wouldn't blame him. She would never do it, because she knew how Elsa could be scary, with all of her ice and depression, even though she was the most kind-hearted person of the world. And she knew, from experience, how dealing with Elsa was complex. No, she would never blame Kristoff from avoiding getting tangled in their messy relationship.

"Elsa is afraid of having a nightmare, isn't she?" she realized, now that she actually stopped to think why her sister would try to stay awake as long as possible. The reindeer nudged her leg, and Anna assumed he was agreeing with her. Even though she now had this piece of information, she didn't know what to do. Sometimes she felt like that, no matter how much she knew about her sister, she would still never be able to help her heal.

Bae nudged her, and started doing some noises. Anna noticed a few sailors-it seemed odd how whenever she was on deck it would be mostly empty. Didn't the ship need lots of hands to work smoothly?-looked at the snow animal with a perplexed look on their faces, but didn't mind it though.

They weren't afraid, and that was enough for her.

Suddenly she realized what the reindeer wanted to tell her, as she recalled he was tuned with Elsa's feelings, and therefore she could assume that he was tuned with what would soothe her as well. The noises he was making sounded familiar to a lullaby her mother would sing to her every night before she fell asleep.

It could be risky, Anna thought. Singing it, if her mother did really sing this same lullaby for Elsa too, could trigger memories of the last day they saw their parents, which would obviously lead to more ice splintering the ship's wood. But it could also mean her sister would be able to finally get some rest.

Always the optimistic, even though the last weeks proved it a difficult thing to be, Anna strode toward Elsa's room, humming an unfamiliar song to the sailors, but intimately acquainted to her, and hopefully to Elsa as well.

She could only hope that it would work.

"Hey," she said while opening the doors. Elsa took a second to react, even if it was just looking at her sister with something akin to curiosity. This 'delay', as Anna called, only showed her how tired her sister was. It wasn't the first time Elsa neglected sleep, and therefore it wasn't the first time she would have those 'delays'.

It could be, however, the first time Anna could do something about it.

"Why are you here?" her sister inquired, but did not sound suspicious or defensive. Sunset was close, and Elsa knew how she liked to gaze at it until all that remained was the night, the moon and the stars, and even then she liked to gaze at it until sleep demanded her to go to her cabin.

"Thought I'd make you some company, cause, you know, I like my sister's company, even if…" she bit her lips, preventing her from spewing something that could hurt Elsa. Thankfully, because of her half-asleep state, her sister didn't notice it.

"Oh, okay…" Elsa's voice was monotone, but Anna knew it was because of sleep. She couldn't imagine how spending 30 hours without sleeping would feel like, even more considering her sister spent half of last days suffering from seasickness.

Anna strode quietly to the window near Elsa's bed. Her sister always avoided it, and left it closed. She knew it was because of fear, and when she opened it to find the moon and the stars, and the smell of salted water waiting for her, she hoped that her sister wouldn't demand it to be closed.

Thankfully she didn't.

She inhaled deeply, and prayed that her plan would work. Slowly, and quietly, she began humming the lullaby Idun hummed for her so many times. Sensing no immediate reaction, or most importantly, rejection from Elsa, Anna decided to hum a little louder.

"Hum? This tone seems familiar…" she heard her sister mumble. She glanced sideways, and was surprised to find Elsa lying on her bed, despite the ship rocking a little more than it did for most of that day. She felt something tug her leg, and looked down, only to find Bae nudging her in what she assumed it was a caring nudge.

While humming the lullaby Anna dragged, as quietly as possible, a chair near Elsa's bed to sit down. With no small amount of doubts filling her mind, and even fear, Anna reached out to stroke Elsa's shoulder. She tensed, and flinched, when Elsa's head pinned her hand against her sister's shoulder, but slowly relaxed when her sister didn't try to move her hand away from her shoulder.

She kept humming the lullaby, and, much to her joy, she could see Elsa sleepily blinking her eyes. "It's okay snowflake, you can sleep. I won't let the nightmares reach out," she whispered while tucking an astray lock of Elsa's hair behind her ear.

Elsa, however, didn't hear her sister speak. She actually heard her mother's voice speaking. "Mama?" she whispered, not noticing how her sister's grip on her shoulder tightened tenfold after it. "Will the nightmares stay away? I'm scared."

Anna's mind cruelly reminded her of the last time she saw Elsa this vulnerable. Not wishing to impersonate her mother, but also not wishing to leave her sister's questions unanswered she whispered back, "Shh, it'll be okay. Go to sleep," before continuing humming the lullaby.

She guessed that Elsa fell asleep when her breathing became even and soft, and her eyes didn't open. She gingerly removed her hand from her sister, while wondering if her mother had also nicknamed Elsa 'snowflake'. "Goodnight Elsie. I hope you rest as much as you can," she whispered.

She rose from the chair and put it back near the table. Before leaving the room, she glanced at the window, allowing a small smile to reach her lips when she realized Elsa didn't ask her to close it. A breeze entered the room and, unlike the other times, it was actually warm. For a moment Anna thought that her mother's spirit was looking out for them, protecting them from the ill fate they suffered years before.

"You were always looking out for us. And even now you still do," she whispered, allowing a tear to fall from her eye, before finally leaving the room.

That night, when she reached her cabin, dressed to sleep, and fell on the bed, she was feeling much calmer than the night before. She had managed to make Elsa eat, and now managed to help her sleep, which was more than enough for her. She knew how both of these things were a struggle for her sister, and was happy that she actually managed to help.

She only noticed that Bae didn't follow her briefly before falling asleep, because it was then that the absence of the sight of a baby, white reindeer lying down on her became obvious.


	5. End of a Nightmare?

_**AN: Hello, and welcome back. I'm finally on vacation, so here's another chapter.**_

 ** _Review response:_**

 ** _Elsa Tomago: That do is a good summing up of what happened on the last chapter. Hope you like this new one._**

 ** _MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot: I hope you'll see if Bae not following her is good or not. And I'm glad you're less grumpy with Anna. She isn't the bad guy (or girl in this case). She's just trying to help, and like any of us, sometimes it simply ends up backfiring. I hope you enjoy this chapter._**

 ** _Without further ado:_**

* * *

When Elsa woke up the next day, she felt perplexed. Not because she didn't recognize where she was, but rather because she was feeling well rested. She couldn't honestly remember the last time she had felt like this, much less the last time she had slept so well…

The thought of sleep made her hold her breath tightly, as she vaguely recalled someone singing a lullaby for her the night before. At first she thought it had been her mother, but, as reality crashed in her that moment, she realized, with a heavy heart, that it must have been Anna.

A tear escaped her eye as she realized that her sister had seen her troubled, had seen how her nightmares were affecting her, and, above all of this, had lost sleep, precious sleep, to put her to an easy sleep by singing a lullaby.

Elsa, at this moment, was more than sure that they would have to talk. The only secret she had kept, to protect her sister, throughout this trip slipped, just like every other secret so far. She could only hope that her sister wasn't as hurt as the last time.

Though, after all, it's hard for Anna to be more hurt by this than by seeing her try to commit suicide…

"LAND HO!"

Anna became instantly awake the moment she heard the man shout that. It meant that their time on that ship was coming to an end, and their time with their cousin, Rapunzel, was about to begin. She felt excited, and, above all, relived, that they would be off the ship. Her relief, however, was more toward Elsa than herself. She had enjoyed most of her time on the ship, and could see why the sailors were as passionate with sailing as Kristoff was with his ice.

The thought of him brought a pang of sadness to her heart. She missed him, and missed Arendelle. Still, she decided to put these thoughts away so she could enjoy her time in Corona, so she could help Elsa enjoy her time in the kingdom of the sun. Elsa, after all, was in dire need of a healing holiday.

As Anna was already thinking of her sister, she decided to go below deck to visit her, and see if she had a good night of sleep. She picked an apple, just so she would have something to eat, in case Elsa refused it. It wouldn't happen, though, because she was going to make clear to her sister that she, Anna, was adamant that she would eat the apple, and, Queen or not, Elsa would have to comply.

She knocked on the door, and waited for a reply. Curiously, and slightly worrying to her, Anna heard no reply. She decided then to open the door rather than knock again. Thankfully, she found Elsa dressing up, probably for their arrival. When Elsa noticed that Anna was peeking from the slightly open door, her face turned scarlet, as her back was bare. And even though it was just Anna, she was certainly not used to show more skin than usual to anyone, even her sister.

Anna did blush too, albeit less than her tomato-faced sister. "Ahen, sorry for that. You didn't answer so…" She didn't need to finish her sentence. Elsa was well aware of Anna's fear of being rejected again. However, she was now aware of her sister's new fear, after seeing Elsa so vulnerable the night before.

Despite the awkward situation, Elsa smiled. "It's okay," she replied gently. "Do come in, I could use your help to tie this dress. I'd have though Gerda would have picked simpler dresses, considering getting in one on a moving ship isn't exactly easy." Anna did not miss the small glare her sister sent to the apple, but didn't allow this to ruin her good mood. The bags Elsa had had under her eyes for the past few days were gone, and she even looked more younger and alive. She guessed that her sister did have a good night of sleep.

She wouldn't mention anything, though, because she knew Elsa would overreact, or blame herself for stealing sleep from Anna.

Elsa noticed that, when Anna entered her room and seemingly noticed that she seemed well rested, the small smile plastered on her lips grew bigger, and her shoulders slumped, if only slightly. She let out a quiet sigh, too quiet for Anna to hear, because it was clear that Anna was getting tenser because of her than because of being on a ship.

She decided to not mention last night. After all her sister was happy and there was no reason to douse her happiness with something as small as last night's event. She still blamed herself for making Anna lose sleep, but given the way her sister briefly looked at her, Anna was aware of that. And, considering the small smile she had on her lips, her young sister didn't agree with it.

Elsa decided it wasn't worth discussing it.

"If you insist so…" She left the apple on the desk, hoping that the ship wouldn't rock hard enough to make it fall. "I spoke with the captain, we'll be at the docks in no more than an hour." If her sister wanted to conceal her relief, which she guessed that Elsa probably wanted, she failed. The sigh and the small smile on Elsa's face did not go unnoticed by Anna, and, despite being slightly saddening because she really had enjoyed their trip, unlike Elsa, she was happy that Elsa was happy.

Her sister rarely smiled lately after all.

"Thanks Anna, for taking care of me yesterday…" Anna's brief of moment of shock quickly changed into one of elation, mostly because she had thought that Elsa would be upset for taking care of her, or some reason like that. Despite being much closer than after the Great Thaw, Anna still had some old fears inside her. Fear of rejection being the main one.

"It's alright Elsie, you don't have to thank me. It's what sisters do," she answered. However, she immediately regretted her choice of words when Elsa averted her eyes form her and frowned subtly. It was clear that her sister was remembering all those years of isolation, all those times she got sick or scrapped herself after crashing into one of the armour suits that she, Elsa, wasn't there to help her.

"So… I brought you an apple to eat. And don't even think of rejecting it. Queen or not, I will not relent until you have eaten." Seeing Anna with her arms crossed and a rather serious face somewhat reminded Elsa of her mother. She would stand just like that, staring at her daughter until she had eaten her meal. Annoyed, she sighed before picking up the apple. She was by no way discreet in showing Anna that she was eating the apple, in an attempt to annoy the redhead. Unfortunately her childish behaviour was in vain, as Anna kept staring at her, instead of showing signs of annoyance.

Only after she finished eating the apple, and with Anna being adamant that she was to leave as little as possible it was not an easy task, that she could finally enjoy her sister's presence. She patted the bed for Anna to sit beside her, and looked at the open window. She knew Anna had opened it the prior night and, despite the sight of the sea making her stomach feel upset with being gifted with munched apple, it didn't upset her.

Anna knew Elsa was staring at the sight, and couldn't read if she was upset or not. However, as she sat beside her sister, she didn't voice out her doubt. Instead, she gazed at the sea too, waiting for Elsa to speak. Pressing her sister to talk would only damp her mood. Anna knew that she had to wait until Elsa felt ready to talk.

"I'm scared of the sea." Her voice sounded small, not to mention weak. She didn't know if the fear of speaking these words was came from how she would react or if it was fear of the subject itself. "I always have been since that day. No matter how much reassurance I was afraid that the same would happen to us. Not because I am afraid of dying…"

She drew in a long breath. "I think we both know that's probably the only thing I'm really not afraid of." She was certain that, by how her voice was almost inaudible, that she wasn't talking to Anna. "I'm afraid of you dying. Of living a life without you. I'm afraid that you have so much to explore but won't be able to. This is why I was so scared about this trip, no matter what you said."

Bae started nudging her leg, and Anna took it as a clue to wrap her arm around Elsa. Her sister stiffened, out of instinct, but quickly relaxed. She tried her hardest to not shiver, because, despite there being no ice in the room, Elsa's skin was cold.

"Shh, the trip is almost over. Nothing will happen. We'll soon be with Aunt Primrose and Rapunzel eating on their dining hall. Don't even bother to give me that look; we'll eat as soon as we settled down." Elsa didn't bother to turn her head around as she heard Anna speak. She resisted the urge to sigh, though, because food wasn't a pleasant thought at the moment. She rested her head on Anna's shoulder, and her sister was grateful that the ocean breeze was warm because Elsa was a little too chilly for her.

"I'm not upset that you opened the window yesterday, if you're worried about that." She felt her sister smile against her head, and that was enough to sooth her. Unfortunately, their little moment of piece was broken when someone knocked on Elsa's door.

"Your Majesty, we expect to dock in ten minutes. Corona's Royalty is on the docks, expecting you." The man, likely the captain, didn't expect a reply, as Anna heard footsteps slowly fading away. She sighed, wishing that they would have had only a little more of time for themselves. Rarely Elsa was that open, or relaxed.

"Well," her sister said while standing up. "I think we should go to the top deck and wait there until they dock." Anna just silently followed her sister, being watchful of how Elsa acted, and how Bae was. She had a feeling that Elsa wouldn't be as welcoming with Rapunzel's warmth as she would.


	6. A Not so Smooth Arrival

_**Review response:**_

 _ **Noctus Fury: I am very happy to see your review here. And yes, this story is a little dark, as it was not originally started by me. I only tried to keep the tone from deviating too much from Spicedgold's vision**_

 ** _MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot_** ** _: Sorry for the wait. Things has been hectic lately, and most of the times I ended up forgetting updating HH_**

 ** _Elsa Tomago: They will, although not as smoothly as you may hope_**

 ** _Guest: Thank you! I'm happy to hear it. I hope you enjoy this chapter_**

 ** _Without further ado:_**

* * *

King Thomas rarely felt excited to greet any royalty arriving at Corona, even his long time friends, vassals or kings. However he couldn't deny he felt the slight bit of excitement in meeting Queen Elsa and Princess Anna, also known as his nieces, largely because his daughter, Rapunzel, was so excited that her excitement was rubbing on everyone near her.

Primrose, on the other hand, seemed both excited and slightly worried. He didn't know why, as she had shared little details about the letters that the Princess sent her weeks before that day. All he knew was that Anna had asked to spend a holiday at Corona with Elsa, and that Primrose had said that she accepted their request and her decision was not up for debate.

He was no fool, he knew that Elsa's reign had not been easy. Arendelle had a rough time after the Great Thaw. Not only Elsa's winter damaged plantations, houses, and caused financial prejudice, but they also severed ties with Weselton, and restricted their ties with the Southern Isles. Both had close ties to Arendelle economically, which meant that Elsa had to recover the kingdom and find new trading partners to rely on.

As far as he knew she seemed to have accomplished these things, and now Arendelle was a solid kingdom. But he wasn't a fool to think that this didn't take a toll on the young woman. If anything, he suspected this holiday was a much-needed break from ruling.

"Come on come on! We don't want to be late for their arrival!" His daughter was grasping his hand, yanking him as a way to make them walk faster. He smiled at her, and only fastened his pace slightly. One of his soldiers had spotted a ship bearing Arendelle's flag an hour before. If he was correct, the ship still had half hour to dock, which was more than enough time for them to reach the docks without having to run.

He could have sent a convoy to greet them and send them to the castle, but since they were family, and since this wasn't an official trip, he felt there was no need for that. His day was somewhat free, with only a handful of letters to sign and laws to read and approve. There was enough free time to personally welcome his nieces to his kingdom.

Rapunzel eventually became too excited to keep up with their pace and broke into a run. He laughed quietly, happy to see his daughter happy. It's been merely four years since she returned to him, and seeing her beaming so much, seeing her so happy warmed his heart greatly. There was no reason to chastise her for showing un-princess like behaviour, especially since she was doing so well on her studies as heir. So he let her be.

They caught up with her when his wife and he reached the docks. As he had expected the ships was still a few kilometres away from the harbour, which meant they would have to wait a little. "Aren't you excited to meet them Papa? Last time I saw them was on her coronation, which, well… it wasn't under the best conditions. And if I recall you last saw them as toddlers only! Oh there is so much to show them! I can even imagine their faces when they see the Festival of Lanterns!" Rapunzel said as she clasped her hands, her face dreamy and beaming.

This time it was Primrose that laughed. "Of course I am excited to see my nieces, dear daughter. It's true, it's been a long while since I last saw them. From what you told me they seemed to have grown up to be two beautiful young ladies." He clasped his hand on his firstborn's shoulder. "But let's take it slow. This is their first trip on a boat. We'll have a nice and quiet lunch with them and let them rest for the afternoon. You know how tiring a boat trip can be, especially when it is your first."

His gentle words reminded her of the time she travelled to Elsa's coronation. She grimaced slightly, remembering how seasick she had been, and how envious she had been of Eugene as the sea didn't affect him not one bit. "Yes Papa, I won't rush things. Still, I am pretty excited to see them. I never thought they would come, considering… well, you know…" It disheartened him to see some of her excitement vanish.

But she wasn't to be blamed. After all, she lost her only chance of meeting her uncle and aunt, and would never have another.

"Indeed," he said with a heavy heart. Even though Agdar had been only his brother-in-law, he had been a respectable king, and a good friend. "I am surprised they were coming too. Let's just not mention this to them. I have a feeling it is not an easy subject to them, yet anyway. Why don't you focus on how good is that they will be here for at least a week?"

Her lost excitement seemed to come back to her, and, with one gentle pat, her turned her around. They stood still, waiting for Queen Elsa's ship. His smile diminished slightly when, as the ship approached, he noticed small dents on its side's rear part. They weren't consistent with the damage caused by waves or boarding attempts, which left him to conclude that their trip didn't go as smoothly as he had hoped so.

Letting out a subtle, quiet sigh, he could only hope that the same would not be said of their time in his kingdom.

As he had expected Anna had trouble staying on her foot once she got off their ship. She ended up falling down, and, being Anna, bringing down two guards, one from Arendelle and one from Corona. She blushed and sheepishly offered Thomas a small grin as they helped her stand up. "It's alright Princess Anna. It's common to wobble on solid ground after being on board for as long as you and your sister were. Especially when it was your first trip."

She was about to reply when, from the corner of her eye, she spotted Elsa ready to get off the ship. Reminding her uncle's words, and momentously forgetting her wobbling, she raced to help Elsa. As Thomas had said, Elsa had trouble standing on her feet as she got off the ship. When she thought she was about to fall she gripped the handrail from the plank they used to walk off the ship. Unfortunately, due to her insecurity, she ended up freezing a small area around her palm, which made her look at Anna with a somewhat desperate look.

"It's alright," she whispered to Elsa. "Thomas said it's usual to be wobbly after being out on the sea for so long." Her words seemed to comfort Elsa, but she knew that her sister was far from comfortable. She couldn't stop herself from glancing at her sister's hand when Elsa did the same. "It's alright. They know about it and they're not scared. Now, don't you think we should go greet them?"

Her words snapped Elsa out of whatever was making her fearful. With one deep inhale, she straightened her back, and tipped slightly up her shoulder. She entwined her arm with Anna's and walked toward the Coronians. Her walk was uneven, due to her wobbliness, but she managed not to fall. "Hello King Thomas; Queen Primrose." She bowed slightly her head in acknowledgement.

"Let's drop the formalities, we're all family here," said Rapunzel who emerged from between her parents.

"I'd rather if we maintained formalities," Elsa said with a hasted tone once she noticed Rapunzel was about to hug her and Anna. "That is, if you don't mind," she added, once she noticed the slightly shocked and hurt look on her cousin's face. ' _Great, I haven't been here for ten minutes and I already screwed up with another family member,'_ she thought with small dismay.

Thomas clasped his daughter's slumped shoulder. "We understand your choice." His tone seemed to encourage Rapunzel as to act up for the moment, as if, once they would reach the castle, the formalities would be dropped. "Welcome to Corona Queen Elsa, Princess Anna." He bowed his head slightly, just as Elsa did moments ago. Both Rapunzel and Anna curtsied. "I hope you had a pleasant trip on your way here?"

"Oh it was wonderful! There were so many stars to look at, and so many fishes! We even spotted a whale on our way here. There was a small storm but nothing too worrisome." King Thomas listened to Anna attentively, but didn't miss that Elsa both didn't share her sister's enthusiasm, and briefly glanced at her hands. A small frown appeared on his lips, though his beard masqueraded it from Anna.

He suspected she had some issues with her powers due to the storm. He had no doubt it triggered memories of their parents.

"Well," he said, a bit too forcefully, which made Prim raise her eyebrow subtly, while clasping his hands together. "We should be going. I have no doubts that Queen Elsa and her sister wish to rest from the trip. Our guards will take care of any luggage you have brought." A small reindeer emerged from between Anna's legs, making King Thomas cough in surprise.

"Um… I was told that it was a snowman, not a reindeer…" he said awkwardly, while trying not to stare. Rapunzel, on the other hand, seemed to be containing herself from grabbing the snow reindeer and snuggle it. The redhead shyly rubbed the back of her hand while laughing nervously.

"Eh… there is a living snowman indeed. His name is Olaf and he loves warm hugs. We left him back in Arendelle. This one-" she pointed to Bae, who was sniffing Rapunzel's leg, and her absolute attention, "is Bae, our little baby snow reindeer." There was no need to tell them why Elsa specifically made a snow reindeer, or even that it was linked to Elsa's mood.

Rapunzel may have not noticed it, or brushed off as sheepishness, but the reindeer was occasionally glancing at Anna, and she knew it was not from purely shyness. "Well then, I'm sure you can tell me more about this snow reindeer once we reach the castle." She knew Elsa was relieved to hear that because Bae seemed relieved. "Let's head to our carriage to go back."

She kept close to Elsa, and it was not because she was worried that her sister would fall again. Her wobbliness was almost non-existent, whereas Anna's was still noticeable. No, she was near her sister because she knew that new places frightened Elsa. The ship had, the Coronian dock had, so she didn't have false hopes that the rest of Corona wouldn't.


	7. Divergences

_**AN: Welcome to another chapter. I'm not that off from my target of updating at least once per month, so I'll just say that I have been quiet because of uni. I think I have never written so many reports as I have lately.**_

 _ **Anyway. review responses:**_

 _ **MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot: I apologise for the delay in updating. I've been pretty busy as of late, which means I have barely been in FF**_

 _ **Guest: It is an undeserving fate, but life does this funny thing where it doesn't care not one bit whether you deserve it or not. I've seen friends share a similar fate to Elsa's and Anna's. In doing that the Frozen creators not only showed that life can be mean and unfair (and boy did they show it throughout most of the movie), but also showed that people can either emerge stronger from it or break down to the point of irreparability. I hope you enjoy this chapter**_

 _ **Without futher ado:**_

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She noticed Elsa seemed to be relieved that the attention of the people was more directed to the King's carriage than theirs. If she was to be honest she too found a bit of comfort in not having to wave to everyone as she had to do back in Arendelle. Rapunzel was only doing it occasionally, when she noticed someone specifically waving at her carriage.

"If I were to be honest, I found pleasing the lack of attention I'm receiving," the blonde quipped with a whispering tone to Anna. She nodded in agreement, happy to see Elsa slightly relaxed. It seemed like Corona was already doing her some good.

"Oh I can't wait until we reach the Castle. There is so much we can do these days! I could show you all the gardens behind it, our library, our paintings, and the city as well. We have this beautiful plaza where people dance on the afternoon, and a beautiful forest too. I could even show where I grew up. You'd love it!" Rapunzel spared no breath to tell the sisters how she would entertain them.

Elsa tried to hide her small distress. Both her sister and the Coronian princess seemed excited, and she didn't want to be the one to ruin it. "I'm eager to visit your library. From what I have heard your father gathered a respectable collection of books. Considering I read most we have in Arendelle, I'd surely want to have a look at his collection."

Rapunzel beamed at her excitement, while Anna noticed, with a pang of sadness, that Elsa focused on one of the few indoors activity of their 'tour'. She didn't want to voice out that Elsa should go to the rest of it as, at least, she genuinely seemed excited to visit their library. Bae was slightly restless on her lap, so it was another factor that told her that this tour didn't sound entirely pleasing on Elsa's mind, and that, maybe, voicing this out would not be a good idea.

Especially considering they were neither alone nor inside their room.

"So, this is the great castle of Corona?" Anna asked, her awe barely restrained from dripping from her voice, as she whirled around once to take in its entire interior. It was clear, though, that this was not enough for her, as her eyes kept glued on the castle's architecture. "It's as beautiful as I imagined." This time the wonder she felt was by no means hidden, which inflated slightly Thomas' ego.

"It is indeed," he said while resting a hand on Anna's shoulder. "The castle was first conceived as a fortress of sorts, which is why it is older than any house in Corona. But, as a village grew around it, it quickly became a place for that village's ruler. As the ages passed by, it grew, and became the kingdom you now know."

"Quite fascinating." Rapunzel tripped when she heard the blonde speak, though she managed to hide from most of them that, except from Elsa. Elsa had been so quiet until that moment that hearing her actually surprised the Coronian Princess. "Arendelle has a similar story, though it was a naval fortress instead. It's one of the reasons part of the castle's outer walls are part of the walls surrounding the city." Thomas let go of Anna's shoulder and motioned for Rapunzel and Prim to continue showing her the castle, while he would speak to Elsa.

"Indeed. I am very acquainted with your kingdom's story. Corona and Arendelle has been allies for generations. Your supplies of fish and ice has always served us well, as has served to your country our supplies of food and wheat." A proud smile crossed his face. "I was quite proud of how you handled your country's affairs after… that incident. I was ready to offer you any assistance that you may have needed, but you actually requested far less than I had expected."

A small smile crossed Elsa's lips, even though her eyes showed that mentioning the Great Freeze was still a somewhat sore subject. She looked at Anna, who was gaping after Prim showed her an ornate armour set in their corridors. She could just hope Anna wouldn't break these too. They looked far older and more expensive than the ones back in Arendelle.

"It was no easy task…" She allowed a small sigh to escape her lips. She was with family, so there was no need to keep appearances. Still, she wasn't weak, so there was no reason to show weakness in front of Thomas. "But I owed it to them, to my people." She lifted only slightly her chin up. "Anna helped, though more because she insisted than because it was needed. Still, I'm glad the work I did, along with the work I did with Anna paid off."

She managed to hold back a flinch when Thomas patted her shoulder. "Your father would have been proud of you." She smiled at her Uncle, but felt different inside. _Would he? Would he have been proud if he had known I created Bae? If he had seen me freeze Arendelle? Would he have been if it had been him, instead of Anna, that found me bleeding and cutting myself?_

"Indeed, but he would have been far happier to see all of you together." Primrose said while she gestured toward Rapunzel and Anna, both who were heartedly laughing while Prim looked slightly flustered. She wasn't sure if she wanted to know what exactly happened, as she knew she was likely going to regret it. "He used to speak of you occasionally. How he would have been so happy to see his sister with her daughter back, how you would have regained that energy you had before you lost her."

Thomas' lips were thin, pressed against one another. Elsa guessed this was the closest she would see him to having a grim face. "He was right, after all. Prim told me that only a few weeks after Rapunzel came home."

Before they could continue their conversation, Anna came up to them and interrupted their conversation. "Elsa we should go to the gardens. Punzie offered to show it to us and Prim spoke of these beautiful flowers that there is there. She said the bucket Rapunzel used in her wedding was made with flowers from that garden."

Elsa cleared her throat, a pink tint sprayed on her cheeks. Despite being with family, she still wanted to maintain protocols, at least to some extent. She wasn't fully ready or comfortable to be intimate with them, not like she was, in Arendelle, with Anna, and maintaining protocol was the best way she found to say so, as it was the least… harsh.

"I'd love to do so." She turned to face Thomas. "If you excuse me," she said before catching up with Anna and Rapunzel, who were already ahead, excitedly chatting about something related to 'ducklings'. Prim came to Thomas' side and looked at the three young women.

"I had thought Anna said this trip was supposed to make Elsa relax. Maintaining standard protocols doesn't seems very relaxing to me, dear."

"I know my flower." He looked at her through the corner of his eyes. "She clearly is not ready, or comfortable, to relax around us, but she also doesn't want to be a rude guest and say it out loud. Maintaining protocol was, perhaps, the best way she found Maintaining protocol was, perhaps, the best way she found to say that. Rapunzel may just think it's one of her oddness, just like Anna has many of her own, but I can see past that. Speaking of protocol, how is Eugene?"

She could see some mild distrust in his eyes. "Oh he is fine," she said, slapping lightly his shoulder. "I just received a letter from him, telling us how the Germans received him so well. You should have more trust in your son-in-law. I have yet to acknowledge of a single moment that he broke protocol. I told you I could be an efficient tutor to him."

"Any idea of when he'll be back?" He wasn't sure how long Anna and Elsa would stay. If Eugene returned he could keep them company. Or even help Elsa loosen up a bit.

"They still have plenty to talk about, so I'd hunch a month or so. I know what you're thinking, so I'll tell you to not get your hopes high. I don't think he'll arrive in time to meet Elsa and Anna here."

Hearing this wasn't exactly comforting, but, as he faced his wife, and gently kissed her on the lips, it didn't matter much.

After Rapunzel showed the garden to Elsa and Anna, she barely managed to suggest showing another part of the castle before Elsa asked if they could see Thomas' library. She blinked in surprise, as she did not expect to be interrupted, but quickly recovered, enthusiastically nodding before she started to walk. Anna, who was happy to be with Rapunzel, didn't mind much Elsa's interruption, choosing to shrug it off as Elsa wishing to see something more appealing to her.

She kept talking with Rapunzel, hearing the amazing story of how she befriended a pub full of burglars and thieves, managing to save Eugene's skin in the process, of how they ventured through many places before she finally found out that she was the lost princess. Elsa kept following them two steps behind them, listening to Rapunzel's story, though not nearly as enthralled by it as Anna was.

She paused her story-telling to show the Arendellians the library's doors. They were significantly more ornamented than the other doors in the castle. Golden carvings in the wood ornamented it, while the handles themselves seemed to be made of pure gold. It was no secret of how Thomas was a bookworm, but she had not expected that he would go as far as obviously giving more importance to the library than to any other room in the castle. Possibly even his bedchambers.

Rapunzel gingerly opened it, choosing to stay quiet as she expected Anna and Elsa to be too amazed by the library to pay attention to her. When she heard both of them gasp, she knew her expectations were met. Anna whirled around, amazed by the amount of books, and by how cosy, yet also ornate, the room was. The armchair itself was far more ornate than Elsa's throne, while the sofa facing it was so big it could fit all three of them and still have room for one more person to sit. The table behind the armchair had detailed woodwork in seemingly every inch of it, making Elsa both admire it, and envy slightly Thomas. Her father had always been a more practical man, so her throne, her office's table were far more simplistic than Thomas' furniture.

She quietly walked by the books, her fingers only a hair's length from touching the books. She didn't want her powers to possibly ruin them, even though she didn't feel like losing control. Her eyes took in every title, took in the leather in each book's case, took in whether it look aged or not. "Impressive. There are not only titles I have never read, but titles I have never even heard of."

Anna nodded, knowing that, if there were books Elsa never read, or never heard of, than it was something to behold. Her sister had always been one to read, even though occasionally the book would be ruined by her powers. It was no secret why. Being locked inside her own room left her with few things to do. Reading was one of them.

Rapunzel nervously laughed, while passing a hand through her short hair. "It is indeed. I always liked painting and reading. Eugene had to almost drag me out of her when father showed me this place. Later it was father who had to drag me out to eat, as I had spent the entire day reading."

"There are so many books I've never read. I don't think I can read all of them during our stay." Anna frowned slightly. The way her sister spoke sounded as if she would spend most of her time in there, reading, rather than knowing Corona. She could understand why Elsa would be reluctant to tour around her uncle's town, but this still bothered the redhead.

"I agree, especially since we have so much of Corona to visit. We even have to watch the lantern festival with uncle!" Elsa looked at Anna and nodded, smiling. However, a small part of her dreaded leaving the castle. She didn't want to be recognized, which wasn't a difficult thing to happen-not many had platinum blond hair as she had-and didn't want to be out in the open should she lose control of her powers.

Still, she didn't want to upset Anna, who was the main reason she was there, in Corona. If her sister wanted to visit all the city and have her company, she would gladly follow Anna. Even if it meant not being comfortable or close to happy.

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Uploaded on November 15th, 2017


	8. Gradual Thaw

_**Review response:**_

 _ **MantaI-305Apollo'sChariot: It's alright. I took forever to update this story, so I guess we're even :P**_

 _ **Noctus Fury: Huh, I didn't remember you were reading this story as well. And yes. At some point it is said that these are their names, or at least it is said that Primrose is the Queen's name, in the Tangled universe.**_

 _ **Elsa Tomago: Exactly. So we have classic Elsa "I don't want to do this, and I don't want to upset Anna". Let us see if this time she'll make a mistake.**_

 _ **Guest: I'm not sure of what you mean by 'bad news', nor what you mean by 'better not', so the next time you review, do sound less threatening and do write something less vague.**_

 _ **Without further ado:**_

* * *

 _Previously: Elsa and Anna arrived on Corona and travelled by chariot to the King's castle. During the travel Anna noticed Elsa's anxiety at being on a foreign land. Once they arrived Rapunzel was very vocal about her enthusiasm on being with her cousins, and on the many things they could do during their vacation. Elsa, meanwhile, was not very enthusiastic, and politely decided to stay in the library whereas Anna and Rapunzel went to the square dance_

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When Rapunzel offered to show them the plaza where people would dance-and show the stained glass that had her parents holding baby her- Elsa wished instead to remain behind, reading and visiting other parts of the castle. The Coronian did not notice, but Anna felt saddened by Elsa's reluctance of leaving the castle. Anna was not upfront with her feelings however, as it would only add insult to injury discussing this with Elsa in front of their cousin.

Despite that, the redhead could not deny that their little visit to the plaza cheered her up, especially after Eugene appeared suddenly, and danced with her. She already was in a relationship with Kristoff, but would not deny that Eugene was charming, probably a reminiscence of his time as a thief.

She strolled out of the 'dancing floor', choosing to rest her feet a bit beside Rapunzel. The Princess smiled, happy to see Anna enjoying her time on Corona. "From the look of your face, I can't decided whether its scarlet because of the dancing or because of Eugene."

Her little comment did nothing to decrease the redness on Anna's face, instead, it only increased it. "Err…" the words stumbled on her tongue, and she found difficult to look at Rapunzel for more than a second. "He certainly has a… uhh charm"-

Before she could keep embarrassing herself, Rapunzel's silence broke into a laughter. "Oh please dear, you don't have to apologize. I know he has this ladies' man charm and how hard it is to not be swayed by it. You'll get used to it with time, just like I did." Her voice held mild exasperation, but there was a certain fondness in it, almost as if she liked this ladies' man charm the former thief had.

"So you're not angry or anything?" she cautiously answered, just to be sure.

"Of course not. Amused, a bit. Exasperated mildly too. But not angry, with you or with him." The Princess paused her for a moment, before speaking again, in a much more hushed tone, "Do you know why your sister wasn't keen on coming here? I can understand her taste for books, but we'll have plenty of time to visit them while you're here."

Anna swallowed, not knowing if it was her place to answer this sort of question. She knew Elsa would never be straight forth with it, which was probably why the Coronian decided to ask her. Besides, she didn't know the full extent of Elsa's reasons for staying behind, which meant she did not know how to correctly answer her cousin. "To be honest I'm not sure," she shyly said, rubbing the back of her neck.

But she quickly thought over. Rapunzel was family, and so there was no reason to keep appearances. After letting out a short sigh, she spoke up, "Elsa has always been a sort of introvert, as ironic as that can be. I guess she wasn't too keen on coming to a crowded place. That and she probably found a book she really wanted to read." She hoped that was enough for Rapunzel, because she neither wanted to lie nor wanted to make Elsa look bad.

Fortunately, whether or not the brunette dropped the subject, Eugene appeared ad grabbed her to dance. Anna giggled, amused at the couple's antics, before feeling a pang of homesickness. She wished Kristoff would be there with her, even though she knew no amount of pleading would get him to dance with her.

007

"So, my charming prince, weren't you supposed to come home much later than now? Like, one month later?" Eugene's grin faltered, and, even though they don't stopped dancing, Rapunzel felt his steps slow down slightly. She glanced around, and was happy to find Anna dancing with some commoner without any reservations. At least someone from her family would not be burdened during this trip.

Obviously, little did she know that Anna carried her own inner demons and burdens.

"Its . . . complicated. I can explain to you with more details when we return, especially since that'll be something your father and your mother will want to hear as well-"

"They are your father and mother too you know," she interrupted, slapping his shoulder. But, he could detect some fondness in her chiding. The dance slowed down as the musicians changed to a more romantic paced song. Before Eugene could speak any further, they were interrupted by Anna.

"So, err, this song is kinda for couples, so I guess I'll sit out on this one." When Rapunzel seemed to break apart from her husband Anna hastily added, "No, no, no, you guys can enjoy yourself. I'll be watching the show." She seemed to think of what she just said. "Err, dance," she corrected, before stepping out.

Rapunzel looked at her husband, who shrugged. She shrugged in return, and soon they started dancing. "So where were we? Ah, the why of my sudden return. Well, to put things short, some Bismarck guy is pushing for a unified region." He noticed the frown that appeared on Punzie's face. "What? Is this guy bad news?"

"Not exactly. . . but he is not good news either." She shook her head. Eugene flipped her around him, and for a moment she felt dizzy. Then she was back at his arms, smiling widely. "You certainly have not lost your moves Ambassador."

He grinned. "What can I say? I am a man of many talents." He flipped around her again, and, as she fell in his arms, he leaned down and kissed her. Those who weren't dancing whistled and applauded, Anna among them. Rapunzel felt her cheeks redden, but she couldn't honestly bring herself to care.

Anna happily watched them dance more, her thoughts occasionally drifting to Kristoff. _I sure wish he was here._ She giggled quietly. _It surely would have been funny, watching the two of us with our two left feet trying to dance_ ' While it was obvious that he was no good dancer, being an ice man and all, even she wasn't either. It was as if the long, sometimes tedious, dancing lessons she received were forgotten as soon as her sister's coronation happened.

007

Elsa was not, as her sister presumed, alone. Primrose had decided to come over to the library and keep her company. It was a comfortable silence, and, much to the Coronian Queen's surprise, Elsa had not pushed her away when she had moved to sit on the couch the blond woman was currently sitting. She would have thought the younger woman said nothing out of cordiality, but she could see how Elsa's features seemed at ease.

"Of all books you chose to pick the Communist Manifesto?" When Elsa inquired her with an odd look she hastily added up, "I mean, not that I'm going to tell you what to read. . . but why? To be honest I was hardly even aware that we had this book here. I guess Thomas arranged it, for some reason."

Elsa put the book on her lap. "It is wise to know not only who your enemies are, but their history and philosophy as well. This-" she gently brought up the book-"shows me both, and while I doubt that there will be any sort of movements here in Corona, or Arendelle, or in any of our allied countries, I'll follow the common phrase 'better safe than sorry'. Besides, just like this books looks at the current system and points its flaws to propose a new one, I am reading it to point out its flaws so I can argue why we should keep with our current one."

Primrose was touched by Elsa's insight. "My brother would have been very proud of you." Elsa offered her a strained smile. While hearing this was comforting, it also brought pain to her. Especially since she survived a boat trip; they did not. "He had the same idea; that we should know our enemies. But I don't think he ever took it as far as you're taking."

Elsa looked down at her lap, and closed the book. Despite containing some seriously troubling affirmations; the leather cover was neat and, despite simple, elegant. It was curious how something seemingly so small and pretty could also be so dangerous. But then, the same could be said from her. "Well, I have to be. Not everyone back home is a fan of me, some because of my powers. And some of my Councillors are very vocal about their thoughts."

She felt Prim touch her arm, and instinctually recoiled. The Queen felt a pang of hurt cross her, more because of how Elsa flinched away than because she did it. She didn't want her niece to be afraid of her. "This Benedict fellow, am I right?" Elsa gave her a surprised look, before timidly nodding. The brunette picked the book from Elsa's lap, and regarded it with a frown. "It wasn't Anna who told me, if that's what you're thinking. Rumours goes around, and when a Councillor is very vocal against their ruler, word travels quick."

She put the book on a small table that was near the couch. "But you don't need to be afraid. No one here is going to harm you, not inside this castle, nor outside. And you'd find surprising how many here accept your magic." A flash of panic crossed Elsa's eyes, making Idun sigh. "Yes, the people know. Your Coronation was not exactly a quiet event. . ."

Elsa let out a sad sigh. "I guess so. At least I entered my reign with quite a bang, right? God, I just sounded like Anna. . ."

"And _that_ , darling, is not a bad thing." She dared to look Primrose in the eyes. "You two are sisters, so obviously she would rub off on you, just like you'd rub off on her. Now, if you'd be kind enough, could you tell me why aren't you currently enjoying the company of your dearest sister and cousin, and is instead enjoying the company of dead trees and animals?"

When Elsa didn't even let out a chuckle Prim apologize. "I am sorry, I guess Rapunzel is rubbing off on me as well."

That brought a smile to Elsa's lip, even if it didn't reach her eyes. "It's alright. I guess making jokes on less than appropriate times runs in the family." They shared a quiet, briefly chuckle, before Elsa cleared her throat. "I'm not with them because. . . because, well. . ." She sighed. She didn't feel brave enough to bluntly tell it to her aunt. It felt. . . disrespectful.

"Because there would be too many people?" Elsa ashamedly nodded. Prim sighed. "I didn't voice out because I thought Rapunzel would have been inconsiderate about this, though, to be honest, I can easily see excitement clouding her judgement." She let out a sigh and stood up. As she walked up to the shelves and stored that book, she looked at her collection. "I was once like you, afraid of going out and meet people. It didn't help that I had never stepped foot on Corona before my wedding with Thomas, and I spent a good while thinking that the locals would not approve the heir's new wife."

She returned to sit beside Elsa. The room was a few degrees cooler, but that could be blamed on the slowly dying fire. During the afternoon the sun didn't directly bathe the library with its light. "But, with time, my perception slowly changed. I'm not telling you to go out immediately. But. . . do give it a try okay?"

Her hopes were almost vanished when suddenly Elsa gave her a sad smile. "I'll try my best. Thank you. . . for being so understanding. . . Aunt." The word felt foreign on her lips. She had been so used to only have her sister, father and mother around as family, that thinking of any other family was an oddity itself. But, part of her also felt warm, even welcomed, by how the brunette seemed to shine at hearing that word.

"Anytime Elsa."

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 _Published on: May 1st, 2018_


	9. Gloom Horizon

_**AN: Well, no reviews. That's saddening. But, for those that read the last chapter, here it is the next one:**_

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Dinner was a quiet occasion. Despite the surprising return of Eugene, there wasn't any big events happening. "Queen Elsa, may I introduce you to Prince Consort Eugene Fitzherbert," Prim said to the blond, not trusting her daughter to keep up protocols. She had seen how Elsa had disregarded it during their time at the library, so she knew it was only a matter of time until she fully dropped it. Until then, however, she would hold up her niece's wishes.

Eugene flashed Elsa a charming smile, and was amused to see her cheeks redden slightly. "Enchanted, Queen Elsa," he said with a bow, and took her hand to lightly kiss her knuckles. He didn't mind the cold, even if it left his lips slightly numb.

Elsa, however, much to his surprise, seemed unfazed by his charming demeanour. "Likewise Prince Eugene." Her voice seemed slightly restrained, but that was likely because of the physical contact. Anna swallowed, chastising herself for not telling Eugene her sister was not a fan of physical interactions. "I am pleased to see that the famous Flynn Rider has come a long way, even though his charming behaviour remains untouched, albeit unnecessary for a married man."

He knew a burn when he heard one. Rapunzel laughed, and even Elsa seemed both surprised and amused by her words. "Ooh, I guess you didn't except that huh, Prince Charming," she said while elbowing him. Anna had to admit, she had not expected such response from her sister at all.

Eugene feigned being hurt. "Oh, my heart, it hurts. How could someone be so cruel to such selfless soul?" He earned as an answer a hard elbow into his stomach from his wife. The group chuckled, and soon heard Thomas beckoning them to sit at the table. Anna sat right beside Elsa, whereas Eugene and Rapunzel sat across them.

Anna was glad to see her sister eating instead of picking on the food, even if she was having little, even by her sister's standard. "So, how was your day?" The question surprised Anna, which was to whom it was directed, as much as it surprised Rapunzel. Anna coughed, chocking on her food, before swallowing. After sipping her water she decided to address her sister.

"Well it was great! Rapunzel was showing me the town and telling me about it. We met some people, especially the guy that makes chocolate." Anna hummed at the mention, earning a fond eye roll from Elsa. Thomas quietly chuckled, and only his wife heard him. "And then we ended up on the town's square and started dancing. Eugene surprised us there, and we kept dancing until we returned."

"Sounds like you had a good day," Elsa quipped as the servants served more food. She was about to decline when the smell hit her nose, making her change her mind. ' _Well I guess a bite or two won't be an issue,_ ' she thought.

"What about you sis?"

"What about me?" Elsa absentmindedly asked before she realized what Anna meant. "Oh, my day was alright. I was in the library enjoying their collection of books. At some point Aunt Prim came over and decided to keep me company." Anna was surprised at how Elsa seemed to be at ease, especially since she disregarded protocol. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep herself from pointing out that.

Luckily Rapunzel didn't notice such thing, as she was busy fighting with Eugene over a piece of meat. "You two, please. There is enough meat for all of us, times five," Thomas said diplomatically, only to no avail. The piece ended up falling on Anna's plate. Before either of the Coronians could recover from their shock Anna was already digging up on the meat.

She met her sister's unamused glare. "What?" the sound that left her mouth sounded like a dog drowning, and she realized that when Elsa narrowed her eyes. She gulped before speaking up again, "I mean, why would I let such wonderful piece of meat go to waste?"

Elsa shook her head, and gave the redhead a chastising look. However Anna could see her sister was not really ashamed by her action, or annoyed. Meanwhile Rapunzel was busy blaming Eugene for making her lose such wonderful piece of meat. Thomas shook his head in disapproval. "You'd think that they'd've grown more mature after marrying," he muttered.

"Well I'd have thought the same of my dear sister after she entered adulthood, but I stand corrected," Elsa supplied, surprising him, as he had not thought anyone heard him. Anna gave her an indignant look before stuffing a quite large piece of meat inside her mouth. All Elsa did was shoot Thomas an 'I told you so' look.

Apart from this small event dinner was relatively calm. Anna was happy that her sister not only did not spend the day alone, but that she was eating as well. Sadly, the comfortable calm did not last long. "I just remembered, I need to tell you guys about the negotiations," Eugene said rather sombrely.

Thomas hummed, and gestured for his nieces to stay when they moved to stand. Eugene breathed in deeply before speaking up, "So the good news is that we did reach a treaty, rather quickly may I add. It will benefit us greatly, especially since, as far as I know, we don't really have a surplus of iron ore. The bad news is that, as much as I'd like to say that this happened because of my persuasion and charming, it did not. Some guy named Bismarck is being quite adamant in reuniting this region under one banner, and none of the representatives seemed to disagree with him."

Elsa inhaled deeply as Thomas frowned. As rulers both were aware of said man. "There is also another thing. One of the Isles is going to send a representative here, as the matter also pertain to them." He gave Elsa and Anna an apologetically look. "I don't remember which one it is."

"It's alright Eugene. We'll steer away from such matters anyway, as to not hinder any of you," Elsa supplied, though Anna could see that her fork seemed to be shining unusually. Bae had yet to start nudging her, but still, she knew they'd have to talk later that night.

"Did they tell you when this representative would arrive?" Thomas inquired. Particularly he wasn't interested in this idea. But he couldn't deny that Bismarck was visionary, ambitious, and had influence on one of the largest countries on the Germanic region.

Eugene shook his head. "They only said soon. And that was before they sent me off with a treaty in one hand and theses news on the other back to here."

Prim gave him a knowing look. "I will assume then that this person may arrive any day now," she said. "I'll inform the guards to keep an eye for any ships bearing an official flag that is not ours." She looked at her nieces. "With luck we'll be able to spend more time with you before this foreigner arrive."

Elsa mutely nodded, but, ever the pessimist, she had the sinking feeling that she and her sister would not have much more time together with their aunt and uncle.

Far away from the kingdom of Corona a lone ship braved the northern sea, heading toward the peaceful kingdom. Men shouted back and fro, and despite the cold winds, they worked hard as they always have. The sky was clear, and so the moon bathed the ship with its light. A lone man stood near the bow of the ship, his hands kept behind his back.

"Sir, our Captain estimated that we'll reach Corona around midday tomorrow," a marine said, sweating and slightly out of breath, despite the cold. The man turned his head around slightly and nodded, without uttering a word. The marine took his cue to return his duties and left the man alone promptly.

He returned gazing at the horizon. By his estimative they would spot land not long after dawn. He was usually a calm person, some would even say cold, but he felt rather eager to arrive at Corona. And especially to meet the royals that resided there.

Including the Arendellian sisters.

Elsa heard the knock and knew who the person was before she heard the words. "Elsa, it's Anna, can I come in?" As Anna had come to expect, no answer meant yes. And so when she was met with silence she entered the room. She had to admit that the room they gave us was quite a breathe of fresh air from the rooms in Arendelle. Gold and purple could be seen all around the room, adorning the bed, the furniture and even the walls. "Whoa, they surely didn't hold back with the decoration," she said as she marvelled the room.

She had yet to go to hers, but guessed that it would be as impressive as Elsa. Her eyes took a moment to find her sister, and, once they did, Anna let out a small frown. Elsa was stroking absentmindedly Bae, and Anna could see that, despite enjoying the attention, the calf was slightly fidgety, which meant something was bothering her sister.

At least there was no ice visible. And, Anna hoped, there would be no ice on the other side of the bed, where her sister was.

As if only now aware that her sister was in her room Elsa turned around to see Anna. "Hey," she said, voice sounding slightly tired. Anna quickly hurried to sit beside her sister. Bae looked at her once she sat beside him and gave her a nuzzle. He whined when Elsa removed her hand from him, but his protest quickly died down as Anna starting stroking him.

"You alright?"

Elsa shrugged. "I guess. . ." It wasn't much of an answer, but, to Anna, it was better than a no, or silence, which usually meant no. Anna took this moment of quietude to look around. Elsa's bag was already open, and she could guess that the closet already had her clothes stored. She decided that this meant that her sister was not planning on leaving soon, and therefore took it as a good sign.

"You're troubled because of what Eugene said?"

Elsa's eyes still kept glancing at the window, and though she didn't speak, she offered a nod. Anna noticed it through the corner of her eyes and resisted the urge of fidgeting with her braid. She didn't want Elsa to see that she felt troubled as well. "Yes. . ." Despite not talking much, Anna was pleased that her sister was answering her without needing her to push in for answers.

"Want to talk about it?"

Elsa inhaled deeply. "Not really. I mean. . . I thought we came to here to have a holiday, be away from things, including politics." She turned her head slightly to regard her young sister. "Besides there isn't much to say. What he said is concerning, mostly because I can see similar signs in our region as well. Bismarck may not be the only one that wants to unify small kingdoms and cities under one banner."

Anna patiently listened. Despite helping Elsa with some political affairs, this was the first time she was hearing about such thing. "But. . . this isn't the only thing that is bothering me," Elsa quietly added. The room was cool, and though the night was cool as well Anna suspected this may be partially because of her sister.

So far, however, there was no ice in sight.

"As I told you during dinner Prim did come to keep me company. We ended up. . . talking." Anna let out an 'oh', as she noticed the slight hesitation in Elsa's voice. Bae nipped at her finger, which made the redhead look at him. He seemed at ease, and so Anna figured that her sister was not feeling deeply troubled. At least so far.

"I keep hearing that our father would be proud of me, that I am a good ruler, sometimes with different words. But . . ." Her shoulders sagged. "I don't feel that way. Please don't speak up." Anna shut close her mouth, cursing her sister's keen sense. "I know you'll say I'm being silly. Maybe one day I'll realise that they are right. But right now I don't. And, sometimes . . . I wish people wouldn't say this." She must have felt Anna's puzzled look. "It's . . . tiring, for lack of a better word. I have to thank them, and pretend I believe in what they're saying. I know they mean well, but . . ."

"You just wish they could praise you in some other way?" Elsa sighed before nodding. It was uncanny how Anna could read her so well sometimes. "I know, sometimes I feel like this too. Like . . . when you say I'm such a great sister-"

"But you are!"

"This!" Anna said emphatically, "Is what I mean. I know you think so, but I don't feel like this. If I were so great I wouldn't have made you feel guilty, or made you throw up because of this trip, or . . . or . . ." Anna took in a deep breath so she couldn't be overcome by emotions. Sadly she didn't succeed much, partially because Elsa grasped her hand that was stroking Bae.

Surprised at the forthcoming action of her sister she look at deep blue eyes that were looking at her. "Anna, we all make mistakes sometimes. You didn't force me into coming, I came by my own will." She gave her sister a glare, knowing that wasn't entirely true. "And, sooner or later, I'd have to enter in a ship. I would have to visit an allied country, or even visit a far area of Arendelle that would take too long to reach by land. So, in a way, I'm glad that I faced my fear by coming here, that I faced my fear with you at my side."

Anna felt her eyes watering up. She had not thought of that, and now that she was thinking she was doing her hardest to realise what else she has missed. "I know you didn't think of that. I didn't either that moment. I only realised this when we were a day or two away from Arendelle." She grasped both of Anna's hands. "I know you don't like seeing me in pain, but, sometimes, we need to feel pain in order to overcome our fears."

Anna couldn't handle anymore her feelings, and so gave her sister a bear hug. Elsa froze for a second, caught off, before she returned the hug. "I told you that you were wise. I hope that you'll realise this during this holiday."

She felt Elsa smile against her shoulder. "I hope so too, and I hope you'll be there to see it."

* * *

 _Updated on June 3rd, 2018_


	10. Ghosts of the Past

_**Review response:**_

 _ **Mantiemo: I see. In any case, a review always makes a writer's day brighter, so even if you don't have much to say, consider reviewing. And, well, depression is not something that easily goes away, especially without help. But Elsa is improving, so we can rejoice on that**_

 _ **Shadowqueen15: Thanks. here's the next chapter**_

 _ **HECK: I must admit that your review made me laugh. Thanks :)**_

 _ **Elsa Tomago: Indeed. If Elsa could be described by one word, I believe it would be wise**_

 _ **Without further ado:**_

* * *

When Anna woke up she was feeling well rested. She glanced at the reindeer sleeping on her bed and noticed how peaceful he seemed. "I hope this means that Elsa had a good night of sleep as well." Despite enjoying the voyage she would not deny that she had missed a big, and totally not rocking, bed. She stretched out and stood up.

Her jovial mood was dampened when she looked herself in the mirror. "Seriously? Why couldn't you behave like Elsa's hair?!" It was a good thing that no one was near to hear that, or they'd've thought that Anna was crazy.

Meanwhile, Elsa slowly rose up. She didn't have any dreams, so that contributed to the fact that she had a good night of sleep. She went to the window and gazed at the view. After so many years being used to the view of her room-more often than not blocked by her ice-it felt odd, even foreign, to find a different sight after waking up. The landscape was filled with far more houses than hers, and many more trees. The sun shone brightly, giving it an ethereal glow that made Elsa smile.

"Guess coming here wasn't that bad after all."

She looked down at her wrist, her smile being replaced by a frown. "I hope I don't have any nightmares here." Touching the scars gave her a tingling feeling, and looking at them painfully reminded her of her obscure past. She was thankful that she could at Corona through her window. Despite loving her kingdom, every time she looked at it through her bedroom window she was reminded of how she buried it under the snow. And despite doing her best to make amends, and loving it, sometimes the sight was just too painful to her.

After all, she could never forget that, on that sea, when it had been frozen, she had seen her sister turn to ice. As she closed her eyes, she could see that image as vividly as if it had happened the day before. She opened her eyes with a gasp, worried that she was freezing the window's frame. Fortunately, there was no ice there, even though the room was slightly cooler than a few seconds before.

She decided to go have some breakfast, even if it was just a loath of bread with some coffee. It couldn't hurt to eat a little right?

When she was arriving at the dinning area, which was also where they had breakfast, she could hear sounds coming from inside. As soon as she was about to open the door she could hear her uncle talking. "This has to be a joke! They have no right to simply send him back and tell us we are to await for an ambassador. Hell, I don't even know from where that Ambassador is."

"Don't even dare to blame Eugene for that!" this time it was her aunt who spoke. "Even if he did remember from where the ambassador is, would that have made even a difference?"

"Of course. What will I tell them if that person happens to be from the Southern Isles. . ." The rest of the conversation fell on deaf ears. Her hands started trembling as she mulled over what she just heard.

'Southern Isles.' It was a name she wanted to forget. She wanted to forget everything associated with them, which was one of the reasons she delegated any and all matters pertaining the Isles to Benedict. As brash and obnoxious as he was, he had actually been kind and understanding when she told him so. She wanted to forget what she discovered about Hans, about his father, about Caleb. She wanted to forget everything.

She felt the walls close down on hers, and her stomach seemed to threaten to spill out her dinner. She vaguely realised that soon Anna would be looking for her, worry etched on her face, and would ask what happened.

Before she could even think of holing up inside her room, the door was opened. Prim yelped in surprise, and immediately brought Elsa in when she realised how terrorized her niece was. "I told you to be quieter about this!" she harshly said as she guided Elsa to a chair. "How much you heard, my niece?"

Elsa slowly looked at her aunt, wishing that she wasn't standing between her and the door. "Enough," she whispered. ' _Just let me go. Maybe sleep until this whole Ambassador thing is over._ ' Prim offered her a cup of water, and she only took a sip, afraid that her stomach wouldn't hold up even that.

Thomas moved around the table and sat in front of her. She looked at him and noticed how tired and old he suddenly seemed. A fleeting thought passed through her head: she wondered if she looked the same when she was too burdened by her royal duties. "I . . . apologize for the way we let you know of this possibility. I-we'll try our best to keep this affair as far from you and your sister as possible." He then looked at his wife. "I think we should let Rapunzel out of it as well. That way she could spend some time with them, and show them around."

She didn't hear a response, but, considering her uncle's face, she guessed that her aunt agreed with him. "Now, I am aware that sometimes you may . . . not feel inclined to eat. But try to have something. Or take a fruit with you if you do not wish to eat now." Vaguely she was reminded of her father's, albeit gentle, pressure to act normal. Primrose shot him a look that told him he was pushing her too much, but either he didn't see or didn't care. Elsa hoped it was the former.

True to her expectations Anna barged through the doors, panting slightly, and with Bae behind her. Her eyes immediately found Elsa, and the blond could see her shoulders sag subtly in relief. However, her eyes still had a guarded worried underneath them. "Good morning uncle, aunt." She took her seat right beside Elsa, instead of in front of her. "Aren't Rapunzel and Eugene joining us?"

They shared a look that gave Elsa the feeling she would want to hide her face very soon. "They . . . err may take a while to join us. I believe they missed each other quite a bit." Even though their faces were slightly reddened Anna took a moment to realise what they meant. As her face reddened up, Elsa was blushing like a tomato, and deeply wishing she had not left her room at all.

While they were busy avoiding looking at their nieces Anna leaned toward Elsa. "Are you alright? Bae started whining when I was dressing up." Even though she was whispering the worry laced in her voice was as loud as cannon fire. Elsa didn't look at her, though for fear that they would end up earning the attention of their uncle and aunt.

"I'm better . . ." Anna frowned, knowing this really wasn't an answer. "I'll tell you later. But mostly it was just bad memories coming back to haunt me." She offered her sister a smile, but Anna found it rather hollow. She gave Elsa a subtle nod, deciding to drop the matter for the moment. She didn't miss, however, how her sister seemed to be mostly picking on her food.

When they finished eating-more like when Anna finished eating-they stood up. Elsa curtsied, and Anna did briefly after, not wishing to keep her sister in the spotlight. Eugene and Rapunzel had yet to arrive, and so they decided they'd meet the couple later. "Your room or mine?" Anna inquired.

"Yours."

She nodded and led them to her room. Elsa choose it more out of curiosity than anything, considering her temporary room had nothing to trigger a past memory. Bae dutifully followed them and did not make a single sound. Anna took this as a good sign, that it may have meant that her sister was not as troubled as she had been. She also took as a good sign the fact that Elsa had with herself an apple.

As soon as they arrived Elsa couldn't help but sighing at the sight before her. "Seriously Anna? We've been here for only a day, and you already managed to make the room as messy as your room in Arendelle is?" Anna only sheepishly grinned, knowing that any attempts at excusing herself would be futile. The joyful mood between the duo, however, was short lived. Elsa let out a sigh before sitting on Anna's bed, her eyes looking through the window.

"So, what's bothering you, sis?" Anna said as she flopped herself onto the bed. Elsa let out a yelp uncharacteristic of a Queen and glared at Anna. "Oops." She leaned her head on her hands and looked attentively. "I'm listening."

"Have you ever felt that you were in an ataraxia, only to find it snatched away from you?" When she received no answer from her sister she glanced at her, only to find a puzzled look etched on the redhead's face. "Ataraxia is a state of freedom from emotional disturbance, freedom from anxiety. I think you could say that it is a state of tranquillity." When she earned a hum she knew she could return to her rant.

"Interesting choice. Word of the day?"

Elsa ignored the playful remark. ' _Well here goes nothing . . ._ ' she thought. "Has it occurred to you that this ambassador may be from the Southern Isles?"

She turned to look at her sister, but her gaze seemed oddly empty. ' _Oh Anna, if only someone loved you . . .'_ She could vividly hear his voice, feel the malice in it, feel him disgustingly touch her chin. She vividly remembered his eyes, so full of malice. She came out of her trail of thoughts when Elsa shook her. "Anna! Are you okay? You fazed out." It felt weird to be the one receiving worry, instead of being the one worry.

"I'm alright . . ." Her voice trembled slightly, and her lips suddenly felt dry.

Elsa looked away, feeling ashamed. "I'm sorry if I made you relieve a bad memory." She felt Anna touch her arm and looked at her sister, who was giving her a sad smile.

"Hey, we all have bad memories that come and go. Don't blame yourself." She thought for a moment. "And . . . answering your question, no I had not thought of that. But even if he is from there his business is not with us. And even if he is one of his brothers-" she spat the word brothers-"we can just stay away from the castle while he is here. I doubt he'll be here for long."

Elsa looked back at the window. The kingdom was warm and cheerful, the people going back and forth vividly. It was one well-oiled machine. They heard a knock, and Rapunzel's voice following it. Apparently, she wanted to show them the tower she spent most of her life. Elsa's interest peaked. She wanted to see how her cousin coped with the loneliness. "I sure hope you're right."

"How much more until we arrive?" Anna asked. Each one was riding their own horse. Rapunzel was currently with Maximillian whereas Anna and Elsa were with horses borrowed from the royal stables. The short haired woman groaned while Elsa was tempted at making her sister's horse slip.

"Anna this is the ninth or tenth time you asked this. Rapunzel will tell us when we arrive," she said, exasperation dripping from her voice. Anna had the decency of looking slightly ashamed at least. "That is if we all don't go crazy until then . . ."

"Oh, I know something we could do. Why don't we sing to one another? I know Elsa has a beautiful voice, and from what Eugene told me, you have too, cousin. That way we can make time pass faster!" Rapunzel cheered at the idea, while Elsa didn't seem too amused by it. "Come on Elsie! I bet cousin Punzie would love to hear you sing."

As much as she wanted to years of politeness and protocols and being the 'perfect girl' kept her from doing so. "I am sad to say that I'll have to refuse your offer," she said stoically. Anna frowned at the sudden formality but decided to drop it. Forcing her sister's hand would do none of them any good. "But you can still sing with her. I bet she'd like to make a duet with you."

As Anna looked at the brunette she found an eager face looking back at her. She rubbed the back of her neck, her cheeks tinted with a light pink colour. "I mean, are you sure? I haven't sung in a while."

As a reply, Rapunzel started singing, even spinning. Somehow she convinced Max to be part of her madness. Elsa watched as her sister joined her crazy cousin, effectively starting a duet. They started twirling and spinning and jumping around. Elsa watched with mild horror and fascination as somehow they attracted the attention of birds and squirrels and so many other animals that she didn't even know they existed in Corona.

However, she could not deny that they were quite the duet and that hearing them sing was very pleasant. She was tempted at joining them, however, the calm, collected girl inside her kept her from doing so. Since neither her cousin nor her sister was asking her to join them she didn't feel pressured into doing so. Besides, she was happy at watching them.

After what felt like an hour the two finally begun to slow down, their duet slowly finishing. "This is it, guys!" Rapunzel said breathlessly. "That was amazing!"

"I know right!" Anna said, equally breathless.

Elsa deadpanned at them, worried that they lost track of the way because of the singing. "Are you sure it is here?" she said as she watched her cousin dismount Max. As soon as she was off him, he dropped to the ground unceremoniously. "I mean, all I can see is plants and stone, and some trees . . ." her voice died down as Rapunzel pushes some vines aside, revealing to the Arendellian sisters a hidden passage.

"Makes sense they never found here. This is pretty hidden," Anna muttered.

They dismounted their horses and looked around for something to tie them. "No need," Rapunzel said, sticking her head out from the vines. Anna giggled, as it seemed that the head of their cousin was floating. "Max won't let them run off. Now come here!" Her head vanished quickly after.

Anna, ever thirsty for adventured, jumped in, not paying any heed whatsoever to Elsa's protest. "Really Anna, you'll get injured one day," she muttered and then realized that her sister has already gotten injured more times than she could count. And so she resigned herself with a huff and with shaking her head. "Well, here goes nothing."


	11. A Sweet Afternoon Turned Sour

_**Review response:**_

 _ **Elsa Tomago: I'm sure you'll be far more surprised by how they meet than by how the sisters will react to him. Nevertheless, I hope you'll like it. And try to give him a chance, he might not be what he seems to be at first sight.**_

 _ **Without further ado:**_

* * *

Anna, ever thirsty for adventured, jumped in, not paying any heed whatsoever to Elsa's protest. "Really Anna, you'll get injured one day," she muttered and then realized that her sister has already gotten injured more times than she could count. And so she resigned herself with a huff and with shaking her head. "Well, here goes nothing."

'~~'

Despite already knowing what to expect Elsa could not suppress the gasp that left her lips as soon as she entered that place. In the middle of this cove stood a lone tower, built on solid stone. Behind it, there was a small waterfall, its water falling into a small sized pond. Even though she knew that this had been her cousin's prison for eighteen years Elsa couldn't help but admire the peaceful and, dare she say beautiful atmosphere. "Wonderful isn't it?"

She jumped slightly and turned around to find Rapunzel looking at her. Anna was currently busy chasing one of the bunnies that happened to live there. Elsa smiled, hearing her sister's laugh, and failed attempts at soothing the small creature. "It. . .is?" she asked more than said.

"You don't have to worry. I know this was my prison for eighteen years." They both looked at the tower. "But it doesn't take away how this place is peaceful and beautiful." Rapunzel let out a sigh, making Elsa look at her through the corner of her eyes.

"Doesn't being here bring back bad memories?" she wondered. "I-I mean, being here, after all, what you've been through?" It wasn't a farfetched idea for Elsa. After all, she had recurring nightmares because of all the bad things that happened inside her room.

Despite her thin lips, Rapunzel's gaze had a fondness in it, much to Elsa's surprise. "Yes, it does, even though she had never treated me badly before my escape. But we can't let ourselves live in our past, or we'll miss what the future is giving us." She had a feeling Rapunzel was no longer talking about herself. "This place may bring me bad memories, but I focus on the good ones, and on how serene here is." She gave Elsa a warm smile. "Now I believe you and Anna would greatly enjoy a picnic, right?"

Elsa had a distinct feeling that she was lying when she nodded.

'~~'

Turns out that she had indeed been. However, she tried Elsa couldn't eat more than just two apples. She disguised her futile attempt so Anna wouldn't worry about her. And, as she glanced at the two women in front of her, she mused that she didn't even need to fake it. They were engaged in a vivid conversation. At first, they had tried to include Elsa, but either they forgot, or enthusiasm overwhelmed them, as soon they had forgotten her just like they forgotten the sandwiches in their laps.

Elsa was no stranger to being left out. She had been left out of the castle's life for thirteen years, she was left out of Anna's life by the same amount of time, and the Council had tried to leave her out of Arendelle's affair until she accented her position. And even then there was still some that tried to leave her out of some suspicious affair. There was a sad smile plastered on her face. She may feel left out, but at least her sister was enjoying herself.

 _It's a holiday for you from me_. The words echoed on her mind, and, despite inwardly frowning, she didn't try to will them away.

'~~'

"So we were surrounded by guards armed with swords, and Max as well. Then suddenly-" Rapunzel wildly gestured, making Anna gasp in anticipation. "The dam started creaking. The moment it broke I thought my escape had come to a swift end. But!" Anna leaned in, almost falling from her horse. On the last second, she managed to grip the saddle. "He grabbed a rope, started swinging and grabbed me by the waist. We avoided the incoming flood, and watched as the guards desperately tried to not drown."

"This sounds amazing!" the redhead said. "It's almost as if your escape became one of those epic adventure books that are in either your library or ours." Rapunzel enthusiastically nodded.

"Indeed! I never felt as alive as I did that day!" She let out a content sigh. "It was as if all the adventures I had dreamed of were becoming true!" She giggled. "At least I definitely found the man of my life, just like in those romantic stories."

That sent a pang of jealousy to Anna's heart, as she reminded herself that she found her love under very different circumstances. "And I've heard rumours that you found your man as well," Punzie slyly added, earning a blush from Anna.

"Ahem. I wouldn't go as far as to claim that he is mine, or that he is the man of my life." Punzie shot her a look that meant she wasn't fully buying her story. "But . . . we're progressing. Slowly." Anna sighed. "I sure wish I could have brought him. Ice may be his life, but I'm sure he would have enjoyed Corona. Especially he would have enjoyed Max's company." Said horse looked at both of them. "Yes, that's right. He is a mountain man very fond of animals. You two would probably have gotten along quite well."

"What about you Elsa? Do you have any love interests in your life?"

Said girl came out of her daze, and Punzie knew the question took a moment to register inside her head because, as soon as it did, she started blushing. "I wouldn't say so," she replied with a whisper. "I . . . I have been too busy taking care of Arendelle to think about other things." _When I wasn't busy being depressed and scaring everyone away._

Rapunzel saw how Anna frowned and decided to put the matter to rest. She would ask Anna later, in private about it. While she was aware of the story behind Hans, she suspected it was not the main reason behind Elsa's apparent fear of engaging in a romantic relationship. "I'd suggest we take a stroll, but since the sun is going to set soon I'd wager it's for the best if we return to the castle."

"I agree," Anna said, a lingering sadness in her tone. Elsa mutely nodded, and soon the trio was heading back to the palace. Rapunzel was suddenly reminded that their mysterious guest may already be there. She just hoped whomever that person was that he had arrived way earlier, so they wouldn't have any chances of meeting him.

'~~'

"Welcome to Corona Your Highness," a representative of King Thomas said. "Your luggage is already being disembarked. King Thomas and Queen Primrose send their deepest regrets for not being able to personally meet you." He nervously glanced over the man's shoulder, noticing the pair of bodyguards behind him.

"While I do appreciate that they were so thoughtful as to apologise the apology itself is not needed. My kingdom sent no warning letter to them beforehand, and I imagine that Prince Eugene's arrival did not happen a long ago. Therefore, it is understandable that they could have not found an opening in their schedules to personally meet me at the docks. I am sure, however, that they expect to meet me today, as I am sure they are already aware of my arrival."

The messenger gulped. Despite polite, the man's tone also held a hidden authority, and he did not seem the man that liked to beat around the bush. "Shall we go to the castle then, my lord? I am sure you'd like a warm meal and some time to rest," he said with a bow.

"I am used to travelling by sea, so while I thank thou for the offer, I will refuse it. I will join them for dinner if they wish to accept me. Now, as thou said, we shall go." The man started walking to the carriage without sparing as much as a glance toward the messenger.

"I sure hope they know how to deal with them, because I feel like a complete failure," he muttered to himself before hurrying up to accompany the man to the castle. One thing he was sure, whatever warm atmosphere that had settled inside the castle with the arrival of Prince Eugene and the Arendellian sisters was about to vanish.

'~~'

Rapunzel frowned as she noticed how the town was quiet. She had thought of passing by the docks, but she knew either Anna or Elsa would have looked out for a foreign ship. And even though they were not Coronians, finding a foreign ship in the harbour would not have been exactly a hard task. She kept her thoughts to herself but noticed how Elsa seemed to be carefully studying their surroundings.

She let out a quiet sigh and wished that would not dampen further the mood of her cousin. She had been aware of how closed off Elsa was, but to see it . . . It saddened Rapunzel. _How afraid of herself she is? Gothel wasn't even my parent yet she didn't embed this much fear of myself on me. And that's something considering I was caged for longer than she was._ She would ask her mother if she knew a way to cheer Elsa up. The Queen had talked to her cousin on the day they arrived. So she could know something to help.

Right?

The walk to the castle was quiet. Elsa was taking in the architecture of the city. It was understandable, considering she and Anna had started a race earlier, unfortunately making Elsa keep up with them and miss the town as they headed toward the tower. She was glad to see a smile on her cousin's face, even if it was a small one.

As they reached the royal stables a guard arrived to talk with her. "Go inside. I'll meet you there shortly," she said to the sisters before turning around to talk to the guard. They dismounted their horses and headed toward inside. "Calm down. Collect yourself and then speak up," she said, concerned how the guard was panting.

"Princess! Your Majesty informed me to tell you to not let the sisters go inside as the ambassador just arrived-"

"Oh my," she said in horror. "I'm sorry!" she yelled as she broke into a run. She hoped the guard would understand why.

Despite her attempt at reaching the doors before her sister, she failed. When she arrived Anna and Elsa were about to open the doors. Realizing she could not yell them to not do so, she held her breath as they opened it, and froze on spot.

Standing inside being greeted by Thomas was a man dressed in fancy clothes, an ornamented one-handed sword hanging from his belt. He was dressing a mixture of black and white clothes, each piece adorned with golden laces and stitches. To them, it was clear that this man was not simply an ambassador, but a royal as well.

What struck Anna was the familiar pattern in his clothes, although she couldn't see much as he was mostly facing his back to them, and the vivid red of his hair. As he turned around to see who had arrived Anna looked at his face, and her mind blanked. "YOU!" She pointed her finger at him. "How dare you to come here!" She marched toward him and held him by his collar. "I meant what I told you last time we met."

"ANNA!"

She only did not punch the man in front of her because she decided it was wise to see why her sister had yelled her name. "What?!" She had not intended to sound so harsh, but her feelings were being overwhelmed by anger.

"Put. Him. Down."

"What . . ?" It was only then that she realized that the room was far cooler than it was supposed to be. There were no snowflakes within sight, but, given the horror that was plastered on her sister's face, she knew it was only a matter of time. Reluctantly, she let go of the man and turned her head back to look at him.

Now that she gave him a close look she realized that he was not, in fact, Hans Westeergard. His chin was more rounded, and his eyes were not a shade of green, but, in fact, were a deep brown. Unlike Hans, he did not have sideburns-Anna was personally relieved at that-as his face was cleanly shaved.

He adjusted his collar and regarded her with an impersonal look. "Assaulting an ambassador of another island is a serious charge, one that could lead to a heavy fine being paid to my kingdom by yours. Assaulting a royal is enough reason for a declaration of war." Anna felt the blood flee from her face, and this time she could see snowflakes falling. In the middle of summer. Inside the castle.

She felt horribly bad for her sister.

* * *

 _Published on October 12th, 2018_


	12. A Game of Chess

_**Review response:**_

 _ **Elsa Tomago: First I'd like to thank you for your continuous support of this story, and for your reviews. As for what will happen, you'll see that the Ambassador is not a simple person, but rather a complex one. Particularly, I enjoyed writing him very much, and even am considering adding him to HTLIG. I hope that you'll like this chapter.**_

 _ **Without further ado:**_

* * *

"Assaulting an ambassador of another island is a serious charge, one that could lead to a heavy fine being paid to my kingdom by yours. Assaulting a royal is enough reason for a declaration of war."

Anna felt horribly bad for her sister.

He either did not acknowledge the fact that it was snowing indoors, or did, but decided to ignore this fact. His face kept impersonal, and it would put Elsa's cold look to shame. "However I will be willing to brush aside this incident as a result of post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD for short." His tone was a tad gentler, but she only knew that because she was paying close attention to it. His face kept impersonal, however. "I am well aware of what you went through at the hands of my younger brother and, unlike him, my heart is not made of ice."

A burst of wind passed by them and though it could easily have been a breeze passing through the open doors Anna suspected that Elsa had actually unknowingly did that at the mention of a 'heart of ice'.

He took a step back. "I am Lars Weestergard, Prince of the Southern Isles, and its Ambassador as well." He bowed, and took her hand to lightly kiss her knuckles. Anna froze for a moment, unsure of what to do. Her mind then wandered to the customary greeting protocols Elsa had insisted that she would learn. "It is a pleasure to meet you."

She curtsied. "I am Princess Anna Vinterdahl of Arendelle." She gave him a defiant look. "I wish I could say the same." She could feel Elsa glaring at her neck, and knew that she was in for a chastising when they were alone. But she was not going to give him this pleasure.

Much to her surprise he chuckled. "So there was a hint of truth to his stories as well." She curled tight her fingers at the indirect mention of him. Whether Lars was doing it out or purpose to test her, or did not realise the full extent of the effects of mentioning, even indirectly, she did not know. "You truly have a wild spirit. It's surely a change from the usual nobles I meet on my travels."

He looked over her shoulder, and she had enough common sense to step aside so the man could greet her sister. She kept glaring at him as he slowly approached Elsa, and was ready to jump at him if he as much as laid a finger on her sister. "I am Lars Weestergard, Prince of the Southern Isles, and its Ambassador as well," he recited before bowing. Anna realised that this was how he properly introduced himself. However, much to her surprise, he did not even try to kiss Elsa's hand, nor made any move to grab it.

She curtsied, but, unlike Anna, she did not have to bow her head because she was technically superior to him. "I am Queen Elsa Vinterdahl of Arendelle." Her voice was stiff, and so was her posture. However, Anna was thankful to notice that it had stopped snowing inside, and that there was no visible ice around her.

"I am very pleased to meet you." His voice was as honeyed as Hans' had been, and it made anger boil inside Anna. "I've heard a lot about you, and, I admit I have been keeping a close eye on you." Her sister seemed to hold her breath, while Anna was starting to worry she'd pass out from lack of oxygen. "I must say, you have been doing an extraordinary work with your country."

"I try my best."

"I'm sure you do." She had to supress the urge of shivering, and of looking away as he seemed to stare closely at her. "I do wish, however, that we had met under . . . better circumstances."

"I doubt that there would have been better circumstances than these."

If he was annoyed by her short answers, or by the fact that her face was currently as expressive as a stone, he did not show. Anna wished she could at least hold her sister's hand, or even just be by her side. "I do hope we meet again. I'd wager engaging in a conversation with you must be quite interesting."

Elsa offered no reply. When the atmosphere around them seemed to grow tenser, Thomas cleared his throat. "I will have a servant escort you to your accommodations Prince Lars. If you excuse us, I believe my daughter and nieces ought to wish some time to rest before they have to attend dinner." His eyes linger only a second longer on Rapunzel than on the others. "You are also invited to dinner," he said stiffly.

Lars turned around to look at Thomas. He gave the man a nod, and left as soon as the servant asked him to follow. Thomas let out a deep sigh the moment the man was no longer within sight. "Elsa I-"

"I have to go," Elsa whispered, before darting off, likely to her room. Anna could see a glittering trail behind Elsa, and felt her heart pang with remorse. Thomas seemed ready to follow her, but he didn't, as Prim put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a look that meant this was not the best thing to do at the moment.

She felt horrible for putting her sister under sudden stress. While she was sure that Lars had meant it when he said he would bare no ill will toward them because of this misunderstanding, Anna was sure that her sister was blaming herself altogether for it. Bae nudged her leg frantically, letting her know how deeply troubled Elsa was. Even if he had not, Anna would have known anyway.

She felt the same way.

007

"Can I come in sis?" Anna said after knocking. She had given Elsa an hour by herself before searching for her. Whether that had been enough time, she did not know.

"Go away."

She felt as if her sister just jabbed a spear across her heart, but despite the pain she could see that Elsa did not mean it. Her voice had sounded weak, even, dares she say, hesitant. "Please Elsa? I need to talk with you." She hoped that he wasn't around, or that he was stalking her. She'd hate to be seen by him in such depraved state. "Please . . . ?"

She held her breath, and was momentously pleased when she heard the door being unlocked. When she entered the room, she felt her insides twist. It was much more similar to Elsa's room in Arendelle that it had been before, mainly because it was nearly completely coated with ice. There was no snow inside, but Anna knew that was only a matter of speaking the wrong words just once.

"I guess they won't be letting us come anytime soon after they see how much replacing the whole furniture inside this room will cost." Elsa's attempt at joking would have elated Anna, had it not been a self-depreciative joke.

She pursed her lips. "Don't say that. Family is above little things like replacing furniture. They only have two nieces. I think seeing them is worth a new bed. And a new wardrobe, and a new vanity." She glanced around. "And new curtains, and I'm speaking too much . . ." her voice trailed off, leaving a sad tone in the room.

It had started snowing.

"I'm sorry Elsa. I . . ." She pushed her bangs back and let out a frustrated sigh. "I saw him and my mind just blanked. I was in overdrive. I-I only realised what I was doing when you called me out." She looked at Elsa, who was curled in a corner, desperately trying to stop the falling snow. "I'm sorry," she guiltily said.

"I understand Anna." The smile she gave to said woman was not reassuring. "Believe me I do. I . . ." she looked at the ceiling, a frown etched on her face. "I think I just want to be alone for a while . . ."

"Are you sure that is wise?" She bit her lip and cursed herself when she was her sister's eyes flicker with guilt. "Sorry . . ."

"No," Elsa said, shaking her head. "You're right to worry. But . . . I'll be okay. I think." She sighed. "And no, I'm not trying it. I don't want to embarrass Arendelle any further." She looked at the window, a remorseful look plastered on her face. "How much to you think that he knows? Does he know about . . . it?"

Anna shrugged, not trusting her tongue to keep itself from saddening Elsa more. "I think he probably meant he has been keeping an eye on your political actions. Why would he be interested in our personal lives? He didn't seem like a freak to me." She let out a hollow chuckle. "But then again, I'm not exactly the best at reading people, am I?"

Either Elsa ignored her remark, or was feeling too horrible to even chastise her. "If you want to keep Rapunzel company, I won't mind." She turned to face Anna. "I'll meet you at dinner."

Anna knew it was a promise, and she sure hoped that her sister would fulfil it as she had fulfilled the last time she made a promise like this. Hesitantly she ran her hand through her hair. "Okay . . ." She slowly walked to the door, and stopped to look over her shoulder, at her sister. "I'll see you at dinner then?"

Elsa nodded, and soon she left her sister's room. She had said she wouldn't try it, and that she would be at dinner. She had never been a liar, so Anna hoped she would not start being one on this moment. When she was halfway to Rapunzel's room, she realise her sister had said nothing about cutting herself. "Please don't do it . . ." she mumbled, hoping that some deity being would hear her pray and stop Elsa.

The rest of the walk to Rapunzel's room she kept cursing herself.

007

Primrose had asked for Lars, and waited patiently for said man inside her office. "Your Highness?" her butler said, making Prim put down her paper. "Prince Lars is here. Shall I send him in?" She nodded, putting the paper inside a drawer. It was no business of his to know what laws she was or was not going to approve.

She had seen how he had a keen eye for details.

Standing as regal as he had when he arrive outside the room was Lars. The butler beckoned him in with a bow, and he swiftly complied. "Please, Prince Lars, do take a seat." Her tone was cold, and her glare would have been unnerving to anyone. But either he was unimpressed by her behaviour, or unfazed, as he didn't even seem to register her veiled hostility.

"To what do I owe the pleasure?" he asked. "I was under the impression that we would discuss about Bismarck's political forwardness with your husband, His Majesty King Thomas, and your heir as well." Primrose rose from her chair and started walking around. She noticed he did not have his sword and scabbard with him, and wondered if she should have posted a guard inside, in case he was anything like Hans.

"You are correct in assuming this, gentleman." For a moment she did not look at him, but at the window. The moment was short-lived. "However, I did not summon you to discuss this matter. Rather, I called you to talk about the unbecoming behaviour you showed with Princess Anna, and Queen Elsa, who, I'd like to remind you, is your superior as she has a higher title."

The was a hint of mirth in his chuckle. Primrose sat down, glaring at him. "I wouldn't go so far as to say that my behaviour was unbecoming, especially after the Princess' outburst. We are not here to talk about her, however." He leaned in, resting his head on his hands and his elbows on his knees. "Have you gotten overprotective Queen Primrose? It would be reasonable. You happen to be the only older woman they have as a relative. And given how this is, as far as my knowledge goes, the first time you see them in years, it seems only natural to be."

"I will not dignify your question with an answer. Our personal affairs pertain to us, and us alone. Not to any royalty of other kingdoms, neither any ambassadors."

"I already expected such answer." He leaned back, as if he was the one in charge of the conversation they have. "But history suggests I am likely right. You have been with your daughter for only a handful years, and with your nieces for even a smaller amount of time."

"You will refrain from speaking further about my family, in any manner."

"I will," he immediately complied. It puzzled Prim that neither his tone nor his eyes held any defiance. "I wish not to cause any intrigue during my stay, even though it seems that it happens regardless of my wishes. And, if I recall, we are in this position to talk about my behaviour, not yours." Primrose's nod could have been considered curt, but, again, he didn't seem to pay it any heed.

"It is only natural, as an Ambassador, that I test how receptive other nobles are regarding me. And considering I come from the Southern Isles, a place not quite known for its mercy, and that one of my brother happens to be a despicable would-be murderer, I have to be even more attentive and delicate with other nobles than a normal Ambassador would have to."

"Is that why we received no letters regarding your arrival? Because maybe your King, or even you, feared that we would deny a visit from an emissary of the Southern Isles?" She knew she shouldn't have spoken this way of Lars' father, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

He breathed in deeply. "Is that what you believe? Or is this as far as your knowledge extends?" Again Primrose decided to ignore his question. "No answer then, so be it. I will be kind to answer your questions however." He soothed a non-existent wrinkle in his sleeve as he spoke. "The answer is no to both. My King is likely only receiving news of my whereabouts at this moment. A representative of the Northern Isles, concerned about how quickly negotiations went with your emissary, Prince Eugene, asked me to personally come here gather insight about this matter with Corona's rulers."

"And," he added empathically. "To answer the question that is likely in your mind right now I assure you I can represent the Southern Isles' interests without being here by request of my King. While he and my older brother, Caleb, share many responsibilities, representing my kingdom in foreign countries befalls to me. They trust my judgement, and that I will beckon for them if the need arise."

"So you would be responsible for Hans' actions in Arendelle as well."

A smile appeared on his lips, irking Prim. He seemed to frustratingly become a bigger puzzle each time a word left his mouth. "Ah, I am happy to see that you are dubious, instead of presuming. Regarding your question, no, he would not be. I was informed that Hans would go instead of me only a few days prior to the Coronation, and by the King himself. However I had my suspicious, as Hans had seemed oddly interested in Arendelle's history prior to this day."

He seemed to consider the hardness in her eyes, the stiffness in her posture. As a Queen she had never met someone who didn't back down from her iron stance. It scared her in a way. In another, it also showed her why this man had been chosen to represent the Isles on foreign lands. "It is perhaps for the best that I care about our international affairs. His first judgement, perhaps in years, yielded disastrous results."

She leaned back, smirking slightly. "Is this defiance that I hear? Perhaps even a hint of treachery."

If her attempt at provoking a reaction from him that wasn't as impersonal as a cooking recipe was registered by him, then he did not show. Prim briefly wondered if Elsa had tried to act this way before chaos emerged during her coronation. "Merely my opinion . . . I am loyal to him through and through, and will never put any other interests above that of my home's. However I do acknowledge that it is past time that there is a new mind bearing the crown, as in that my home is more than ready for a new direction. 1848 showed us that the people are no longer to simply accept any ill intents or selfishness from its rulers anymore."

She hummed in agreement. The wave of rebellion that plastered many kingdoms and countries around Corona had not reached in it, and was probably because she had her husband had tried to fairly rule the place. It helped that Thomas' family had been very receptive, and taught that it would far benefit both them and the kingdom fairly ruling it than usurping it. Her father, however, had not taught her to be kind, but instead to have an iron grip. _Must be why Agdar thought that concealing would be better than trying to go through that mess with the compassion of a father,_ she once mused.

"I believe we went astray from our topic," he said after clearing his throat. "As I told you before, I have to test how receptive people are of my persona. And so all affirmations I did in their presence were purely to learn whether or not their feelings regarding my brother would undermine how they perceive and judge me."

Prim pursed her lips. "And what, if I may ask, did you conclude?"

He smirked, showing emotion for the first time. Prim had half the mind of calling her niece to freeze him solid on the chair for the rest of the day. Perhaps even for the rest of his stay in Corona. "Princess Anna was pretty straightforward. She will judge me and be heavily distrusting, merely because he is a relative of mine. Many people, nobles too, do that, so I do not personally blame her."

He breathed in deeply, as if eager to see how Prim was curious to hear his opinion on Elsa. To her credit, she did not even twitch a finger at the suspense. "Queen Elsa, on the other hand, was far harder to read on. I was quite pleased at that. A good ruler knows how to mask his or her thoughts until deeming it is no longer necessary. However, one thing that struck me, as I've been observing her, is how keen she is to make Arendelle thrive. It seems reasonable that every ruler should wish this to their kingdom, but, alas, history proves us wrong."

He took a breath. "And so, based on that, I conclude that she will be neutral toward me until she either deem me a threat or trustworthy." He looked Prim deep in the eyes. "However I also concluded that she will consider her sister's feelings regarding me, even if she knows that they are biased by her past." He readjusted his seat on the chair. "Would you like to ask me anything else, Your Majesty?"

"Just one more thing," Prim said, her voice slightly less threateningly. "How do you know so much, and conclude so much? Our Ambassador is quite good but, dare I say, he does not reach conclusions with such depths as you do, even though they have yet to be seen if they are true or not."

He chuckled, a warm chuckle that seemed to have no malice behind it. Primrose blinked in surprise, then warned herself that malice could easily be hidden behind an amicable appearance. "I may only be twenty six years old, but I lived enough to study people, and to read them." He looked sideways, as if some imaginary thing had earned his attention, before focusing his eyes on her again. "However everywhere little birds there are. You can learn quite a lot if you only know how to listen."

"Would that be how you have been keeping a close eye on Elsa's reign?" She wanted to say he had spies working for him, but refrained from doing so. She was painfully aware of how she had burned her morality with him in this conversation, and was pretty sure that he was aware of this as well.

"You would be right to presume this. And, to add to your presumption, it is how I have been keeping eyes on other things as well." He looked at her as if he knew something that she didn't, or knew a secret that she vehemently wanted to keep hidden. "Before you reach any conclusion, I'd like to state again that I bare no ill will toward you, your family or your kingdom."

She nodded, not fully believing on his statement. Still, she would give him the benefit of the doubt, although she would not tell him so. "That is all. You may leave," she said, waving her head.

He stood up and bowed, his bow as calculated and precise as every action and word he has done and spoken this far. "If you excuse me Your Majesty." He did not knock the door so one of the guards would open it, instead he chose to open and leave. Her butler came in, worry and wariness etched on his face. She was aware of how long their talk took.

"Would you like me to bring anything, Your Majesty?"

She glanced at the window and sighed. "A tea would be pleasant."

* * *

 _Updated on January 14th, 2019_


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